The goal of the present study was to define the role of gelatinase A in angiogenesis. We performed corneal micropocket assays in gelatinase A-deficient mice and their age-matched wildtype littermates. The corneal neovascular area in gelatinase Adeficient mice (0.15 þ 0.14 mm 2 ) was significantly less than that of wild-type littermates (0.53 þ 0.35 mm 2 ; P 6 0.01). Similarly, aortic ring assays showed significant reduction of endothelial outgrowth in gelatinase A-deficient mice (0.26 þ 0.14 mm 2 ) as compared to wild-type littermates (0.44 þ 0.06 mm 2 ; P 6 0.05). These results suggest that gelatinase A may play an important role in the regulation of corneal angiogenesis. ß 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Matrilysin may play an important role in maintaining corneal avascularity during wound healing. The differences in corneal neovascularization between matrilysin-deficient mice and wild-type littermates seem unrelated to the bFGF and VEGF levels in the corneal epithelium.