title: Induction of lymphatic endothelial cell differentiation in embryoid bodies.
abstract: The molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of the lymphatic vascular system remain poorly characterized. Whereas studies in embryonic stem (ES) cells have provided major new insights into the mechanisms of blood vessel formation, the development of lymphatic endothelium has not been previously observed. We established embryoid bodies (EBs) from murine ES cells in the presence or absence of lymphangiogenic growth factors. We found that lymphatic endothelial cells develop at day 18 after EB formation. These cells express CD31 and the lymphatic lineage markers Prox-1 and Lyve-1, but not the vascular marker MECA-32, and they frequently sprout from preexisting blood vessels. Lymphatic vessel formation was potently promoted by VEGF-A and VEGF-C but not by bFGF. Our results reveal, for the first time, that ES cells can differentiate into lymphatic endothelial cells, and they identify the EB assay as a powerful new tool to dissect the molecular mechanisms that control lymphatic vessel formation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ruediger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liersch
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nay
authors.forename: Lingge
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Detmar
mesh_terms: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D051379:Mice; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006023:Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C095910:MECA-32 antigen, mouse; C492273:LYVE1 protein, mouse