High-metastatic potential [Met-1] and low-metastatic potential [Db-7] breast tumors have been established as an experimental platform for angiogenesis (intratumoral micorvessel density [MVD]), microcirculation and metastasis research. With the utilization of computer-assisted intravital microscopy and histopathology/immuno-histochemistry procedures, it has been revealed that angiogenesis is a significant variable in the metastatic process. The tumor microcirculation of Met-1 is complex and heterogeneous, and the internal micros vessels exhibit tortuous paths. Microvessel tortuosity (measured as Tortuosity Index [TI]) is a unique intratumoral feature. The TIs (Met-1: 0.4 +0.01/ Db-7: 0.78 +0.02; p<0.0001) are highly significant measurements and TI for Met-1 correlates with a high MVD (20.2+9.7 microvessels/200x field & 32.6 +12.9 microvessels/200x field) and a high metastatic rate (12/14) in the Met-1 high metastatic potential breast tumors, using the low MVD (7.6+3.7 microvessels/200x field & 13.5+6.2 microvessels/200x field) and low metastatic rate (2/13) of Db-7 as low-metastatic potential control.
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