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Updated: May 15, 2026
Isolation of Murine Embryonic Hemogenic Endothelial Cells
Published on: June 17, 2016
PDGF receptor alpha+ mesoderm contributes to endothelial and hematopoietic cells in mice
Guo Ding1, Yosuke Tanaka, Misato Hayashi
1Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, Japan.
Background:
Early mesoderm can be classified into Flk-1+ or PDGF receptor alpha (PDGFRα)+ population, grossly representing lateral and paraxial mesoderm, respectively. It has been demonstrated that all endothelial (EC) and hematopoietic (HPC) cells are derived from Flk-1+ cells. Although PDGFRα+ cells give rise to ECs/HPCs in in vitro ES differentiation, whether PDGFRα+ population can become hemato-endothelial lineages has not been proved in mouse embryos.
Results:
Using PDGFRαMerCreMer mice, PDGFRα+ early mesoderm was shown to contribute to endothelial cells including hemogenic ECs, fetal liver B lymphocytes, and Lin-Kit+Sca-1+ (KSL) cells. Contribution of PDGFRα+ mesoderm into ECs and HPCs was limited until E8.5, indicating that PDGFRα+/Flk-1+ population that exists until E8.5 may be the source for hemato-endothelial lineages from PDGFRα+ population. The functional significance of PDGFRα+ mesoderm in vascular development and hematopoiesis was confirmed by genetic deletion of Etv2 or restoration of Runx1 in PDGFRα+ cells. Etv2 deletion and Runx1 restoration in PDGFRα+ cells resulted in abnormal vascular remodeling and rescue of fetal liver CD45+ and Lin-Kit+Sca-1+ (KSL) cells, respectively.
Conclusions:
Endothelial and hematopoietic cells can be derived from PDGFRα+ early mesoderm in mice. PDGFRα+ mesoderm is functionally significant in vascular development and hematopoiesis from phenotype analysis of genetically modified embryos.
Insights
Early mesoderm, specifically the PDGFRα+ population, can develop into endothelial and hematopoietic cells in mouse embryos. This finding highlights the crucial role of PDGFRα+ mesoderm in vascular and blood development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Hematopoiesis
- Vascular biology
Background:
- Early mesoderm differentiates into Flk-1+ (lateral) and PDGFRα+ (paraxial) populations.
- Endothelial cells (ECs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are known to derive from Flk-1+ cells.
- The potential of PDGFRα+ cells to generate hemato-endothelial lineages in vivo remained unproven.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether PDGFRα+ early mesoderm can contribute to hemato-endothelial lineages in mouse embryos.
- To determine the functional significance of PDGFRα+ mesoderm in vascular development and hematopoiesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized PDGFRαMerCreMer mice for genetic lineage tracing.
- Analyzed contributions to endothelial cells, hemogenic ECs, B lymphocytes, and Lin-Kit+Sca-1+ (KSL) cells.
- Performed genetic manipulation (Etv2 deletion, Runx1 restoration) within PDGFRα+ cells.
Main Results:
- PDGFRα+ mesoderm contributes to endothelial cells, including hemogenic ECs, fetal liver B lymphocytes, and KSL cells.
- Contribution of PDGFRα+ mesoderm to ECs and HPCs was limited until embryonic day 8.5.
- Genetic deletion of Etv2 in PDGFRα+ cells caused abnormal vascular remodeling, while Runx1 restoration rescued fetal liver CD45+ and KSL cells.
Conclusions:
- PDGFRα+ early mesoderm is a source of endothelial and hematopoietic cells in mouse embryos.
- PDGFRα+ mesoderm plays a functionally significant role in both vascular development and hematopoiesis.
