ISOLATION AND CULTURE OF LARGE VESSEL ENDOTHELIUM FROM WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS)

Endothelial cells were obtained from white-tailed deer carotid arterie s and umbilical vessels by instilling a weak collagenase type II solut ion. Cell growth was best when cultures were grown in plates coated wi th either fibronectin or laminin. Several commercially available media supported the growth of these cells when supplemented with a commerci ally available endothelial growth supplement and 10% fetal calf serum. Cells obtained could be characterized as endothelium by ultrastructur al characteristics and by the uptake of fluorescent acetylated low-den sity lipoprotein. Cells stained positive for factor VIII-related antig en up to passage 2, but staining was inconsistent by passage 3, and no immunoreactivity could be demonstrated after passage 4.