[The study on EPC originated from human umbilical cord blood promoting neovascularization in ischemic skin flap]

Injecting the EPC into the corresponding skin flap to study EPC biological characteristics and its effect on neovascularization in ischemia skin flap.

CD133 + cells were enriched from human umbilical cord blood by immunomagnetic sorting, and cultured with EGM - 2MV media. After labeled with PKH26 (fluorescent cell linker), the EPC were injected into the over-length flap models made on athymic mice. Observing the EPCs trace and their participating in the flap vascularization using a fluorescent microscope. The potential of EPC neovascularization in ischemic tissue of skin flap was evaluated through measuring the necrotic area and vessel diameter and quantity in the skin flap.

The skin flap necrosis area of EPC group is significantly smaller than that of control (P < 0.05), the dermal and hypodermal blood perfusion of EPC group is significantly more than that of control (P < 0.05). Immunohistological and label fluorescent analyses showed vWF antigen-positive cells and labeled cells constructing blood vessels of flap.

Our data support the EPC may contribute to angiogenesis, speed up ischemic tissue vascularization.