Differential in vivo potential of endothelial progenitor cells from human umbilical cord blood and adult peripheral blood to form functional long-lasting vessels.
Tissue engineering requires formation of a de novo stable vascular network. Because of their ability to proliferate, differentiate into endothelial cells, and form new vessels, blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are attractive source of cells for use in engineering blood vessels. However, the durability and function of EPC-derived vessels implanted in vivo are unclear. To this end, we directly compared formation and functions of tissue-engineered blood vessels generated by peripheral blood- and umbilical cord blood-derived EPCs in a model of in vivo vasculogenesis. We found that adult peripheral blood EPCs form blood vessels that are unstable and regress within 3 weeks. In contrast, umbilical cord blood EPCs form normal-functioning blood vessels that last for more than 4 months. These vessels exhibit normal blood flow, perm-selectivity to macromolecules, and induction of leukocyte-endothelial interactions in response to cytokine activation similar to normal vessels. Thus, umbilical cord blood EPCs hold great therapeutic potential, and their use should be pursued for vascular engineering.
Au
Patrick
P
Edwin L. Steele Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Daheron
Laurence M
LM
Duda
Dan G
DG
Cohen
Kenneth S
KS
Tyrrell
James A
JA
Lanning
Ryan M
RM
Fukumura
Dai
D
Scadden
David T
DT
Jain
Rakesh K
RK
D000328:Adult; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors