Density of human bone marrow stromal cells regulates commitment to vascular lineages

Mechanisms underlying the vascular differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (HBMSCs) and their contribution to neovascularisation are poorly understood. We report the essential role of cell density-induced signals in directing HBMSCs along endothelial or smooth muscle lineages. Plating HBMSCs at high density rapidly induced Notch signaling, which initiated HBMSC commitment to a vascular progenitor cell population expressing markers for both vascular lineages. Notch also induced VEGF-A, which inhibited vascular smooth muscle commitment while consolidating differentiation to endothelial cells with cobblestone morphology and characteristic endothelial markers and functions. These mechanisms can be exploited therapeutically to regulate HBMSCs during neovascularisation.