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Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Blood
Published on: April 13, 2012
Toward engineering a human neoendothelium with circulating progenitor cells.
Josephine B Allen1, Sadiya Khan, Karen A Lapidos
1Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|December 17, 2009
Summary
This study shows that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) can form a functional endothelium on a biodegradable polymer scaffold (POC). This research supports the development of engineered vascular grafts using a patient's own cells.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Vascular Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Synthetic vascular grafts have limitations.
- Developing tissue-engineered vascular grafts requires suitable cell sources and scaffolds.
- Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a promising cell source.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of using EPCs to create a functional endothelium on a poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) (POC) scaffold.
- To evaluate the endothelial characteristics and function of differentiated EPCs on POC.
- To determine the potential of this approach for autologous endothelial cell-seeded vascular grafts.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and in vitro differentiation of EPCs from human blood into endothelial-like cells (HE-like cells).
- Culturing HE-like cells on POC scaffolds and evaluating their morphology and expression of endothelial cell markers (von Willebrand factor, vascular endothelial cadherin, flk-1, CD31).
- Assessing HE-like cell function, including nitric oxide synthase expression, tissue factor, prostacyclin, tissue plasminogen activator production, clot formation, platelet adhesion, and shear stress resistance on modified grafts.
Main Results:
- Differentiated HE-like cells exhibited characteristic endothelial cobblestone morphology and positive staining for key EC markers.
- HE-like cells on POC expressed endothelial nitric oxide synthase, prostacyclin, and tissue plasminogen activator at levels comparable to native aortic and venous ECs.
- HE-like cells demonstrated reduced clot formation and platelet adhesion compared to fibroblasts, and withstood physiological shear stress on POC-modified grafts.
Conclusions:
- EPCs can be differentiated into functional endothelial-like cells on POC scaffolds.
- These findings provide a foundation for developing autologous tissue-engineered vascular grafts.
- This approach holds potential for overcoming limitations of current synthetic vascular grafts.
