title: In vitro formation of capillary tubules from human umbilical cord blood cells with perspectives for therapeutic application.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) characterized by the CD133+ marker, contribute to the neovascularization. Increasing EPC number in vitro could be a promising therapeutic tool. Human umbilical cord blood maintains a significant number of EPC, suggesting the possibility to use these cells to induce the revascularization of ischemic tissues. The aim of this study was to analyze the in vitro function of differentiated CD133+ cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cells were characterized by flow cytometry, VEGF mRNA expression was evaluated by the RT-PCR analysis and the functionally by essays of capillary tubes formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differentiated cells lost EPC markers, maintained low levels of markers for hematopoietic and monocytic cell lines and increased the expression of adult endothelial cell markers. Differentiated cells expressed VEGF mRNA and were capable to induce in vitro capillary tubules formation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD133+ cells differentiated into endothelial cells in vitro are functionally active initiating the possibility of their use in future therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Cardiomioplastia Celular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná.
authors.forename: Alexandra Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Senegaglia
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Slud
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Brofman
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto Mayora
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Aita
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dallagiovanna
authors.forename: Carmen Lúcia Kuniyoshi
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rebelatto
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Fabiane
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barchiki
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Krieger
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD; D002196:Capillaries; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D036801:Parturition; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A