Characterization of porcine arterial endothelial cells cultured on amniotic membrane, a potential matrix for vascular tissue engineering.
The existing of basement membrane improves the development of endothelium while constructing blood vessel equivalent. The amniotic membrane (AM) provides a natural basement membrane and has been used in ocular surface reconstruction. This study evaluated the molecular and cellular characteristics of porcine vascular endothelial cells (ECs) cultured on AM. ECs cultured on AM expressed the endothelial marker vWF and exhibited normal endothelial morphology. Here, we demonstrated that AM enhanced the expression of intercellular molecules, platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), and adhesion molecule VE-cadherin at the intercellular junctions. The expression level of integrin was markedly higher in ECs cultured on AM than on plastic dish. Furthermore, the AM downregulated the expression of E-selectin and P-selectin in both LPS-activated and non-activated ECs. Consistently, adhesion of leukocytes to both activated and non-activated cells was decreased in ECs cultured on AM. Our results suggest that AM is an ideal matrix to develop a functional endothelium in blood vessel equivalent construction.
Tsai
Shu-Huai
SH
Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Liu
Yi-Wen
YW
Tang
Wei-Chun
WC
Zhou
Zhi-Wei
ZW
Hwang
Chih-Yung
CY
Hwang
Guang-Yuh
GY
Ou
Bor-Rung
BR
Hu
Cheng-Po
CP
Yang
Vivian C
VC
Chen
Jan-Kan
JK
D000650:Amnion / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*