title: Implanted neonatal human dermal fibroblasts influence the recruitment of endothelial cells in mice.
abstract: The vascularization of new tissue within a reasonable time is a crucial prerequisite for the success of different cell- and material-based strategies. Considering that angiogenesis is a multi-step process involving humoral and cellular regulatory components, only in vivo assays provide the adequate information about vessel formation and the recruitment of endothelial cells. The present study aimed to investigate if neonatal human dermal fibroblasts could influence in vivo neovascularization. Results obtained showed that fibroblasts were able to recruit endothelial cells to vascularize the implanted matrix, which was further colonized by murine functional blood vessels after one week. The vessels exhibited higher levels of hemoglobin, compared with the control matrix, implanted without fibroblasts, in which no vessel formation could be observed. No significant differences were detected in systemic inflammation. The presence of vessels originated from the host vasculature suggested that host vascular response was involved, which constitutes a fundamental aspect in the process of neovascularization. Fibroblasts implanted within matrigel increased the presence of endothelial cells with positive staining for CD31 and for CD34 and the production of collagen influencing the angiogenic process and promoting the formation of microvessels. New strategies in tissue engineering could be delineated with improved angiogenesis using neonatal fibroblasts.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica (INEB), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Guerreiro
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brochhausen
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Negrão
authors.forename: Mário A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: C James
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Pedro L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Granja
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D010641:Phenotype; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry*; D012038:Regeneration; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007797:Laminin; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003094:Collagen
keywords: angiogenesis; endothelial cells; fibroblasts; regenerative medicine; tissue engineering; vascular networks