Microvascular endothelial cells from E-selectin-deficient mice form tubes in vitro

Studies of capillary morphogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro have suggested a role for E-selectin (CD62E) in the process of differentiation into tube-like structures. Recent studies by our group and others have demonstrated that mice lacking E-selectin because of germline inactivation of the E-selectin gene by gene targeting are viable and fertile, without apparent deficiencies in vascular development. Murine lung endothelial cells from wild-type and E-selectin-deficient animals were isolated using an activation-dependent sterile sorting method, and differentiation into tube-like structures on sparse fibronectin, Matrigel, and collagen gels was compared. Both types of murine lung endothelial cells spontaneously organized to form multicellular tubes and extensive anastomotic networks. There were no major differences in either the time course of development or the general appearance of the multicellular cords or tube-like structures formed by murine lung endothelial cells from wild-type or E-selectin-deficient mice, although different patterns were observed on different extracellular matrices. These studies, thus, demonstrate that E-selectin is not required for morphogenesis of 3-dimensional vascular structures in vitro.