Challenges in deriving and utilizing stem cell-derived endothelial cells for regenerative medicine: a key issue in...

Human pluripotent stem cells such as embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells have the ability to differentiate into all cell types representing the adult human body which includes vascular endothelial cells. Vascular endothelial cells are of great interest because of the huge role that they play in tissue regeneration and engineering. They can be used in cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and peripheral arterial diseases and also in tissue engineering in the form of vascular grafts or vascularized tissue constructs before transplantation. In order for these applications to be realized, well-defined, efficient and reproducible differentiation protocols are important in directing stem cells differentiation into endothelial cells followed by stringent purification and expansion of pure populations of these desired cells in vitro. This review focuses on various well-characterized differentiation procedures that have been used to derive endothelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells and the challenges faced in using these cells in clinical applications.