title: Simple and highly efficient method for production of endothelial cells from human embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Endothelial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC-ECs) hold much promise as a valuable tool for basic vascular research and for medical application such as cell transplantation or regenerative medicine. Here we have developed an efficient approach for the production of  hESC-ECs. Using a differentiation method consisting of a stepwise combination of treatment with glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibitor and culturing in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-supplemented medium, hESC-ECs are induced in 5 days with about 20% efficiency.  These cells express vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), CD34, and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1). These hESC-ECs can then be isolated with 95% purity using a magnetic sorting system, and expanded to more than 100-fold within a month.  The hESC-ECs thus produced exhibit the endothelial morphological characteristics and specific functions such as capillary tube formation and acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake. We propose that our methodology is useful for efficient and large-scale production of hESC-ECs.
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell and Drug Discovery Institute, Kyoto Research Park, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suemori
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakatsuji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D051379:Mice