Pericytes Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Pericytes wrap blood microvessels and are believed to play important roles in vascular morphogenesis, maturation, and stability. In addition, pericytes have emerged as candidates for targeting cancer growth and for wound healing. In order to model these processes and test new therapies, it is desirable to have a reliable, scalable source of pericytes. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which possess the ability to differentiate into any cell type in the body, have been used to generate pericytes in vitro quickly, consistently, and with high yields. In this chapter, we consider the differentiation of pericytes from hPSCs. We compare the approaches taken by multiple groups and discuss characterization of hPSC-pericytes. Studying pericyte differentiation in vitro provides the opportunity to identify factors influencing pericyte development and to establish the ontogenic relationships between pericytes and similar cells. The development of highly specific, defined pericyte populations from hPSCs will enable downstream applications requiring large quantities of cells, including tissue engineered models and cell therapies.