title: Differentiation of umbilical cord lining membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells into endothelial-like cells.
abstract: Stem cell therapy for the treatment of vascular-related diseases through functional revascularization is one of the most important research areas in tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro differentiation of umbilical CL-MSC into endothelial lineage cells.
  
  
  
  In this study, isolated cells were characterized for expression of MSC-specific markers and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. They were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and then examined for expression of the endothelial-specific markers, karyotype, and functional behavior of cells.
  
  
  
  Isolated cells expressed MSC-specific markers and differentiated into adipocytes and osteoblasts. After endothelial differentiation, they expressed CD31, vWF, VE-cadherin, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 at both mRNA and protein level, but their morphological changes were not apparent when compared with those of undifferentiated cells. There were no significant changes in karyotype of differentiated cells. Furthermore, angiogenesis assay and LDL uptake assay showed that differentiated cells were able to form the capillary-like structures and uptake LDL, respectively.
  
  
  
  The results indicated that umbilical CL-MSC could differentiate into functional endothelial-like cells. Also, they are suitable for basic and clinical studies to cure several vascular-related diseases.
authors: Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.|Dept. of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors: Chinh Chung
authors: CC
authors: Doan
authors: Dept. of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors: Thanh Long
authors: TL
authors: Le
authors: Dept. of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors: Nghia Son
authors: NS
authors: Hoang
authors: Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.
authors: Ngoc Trung
authors: NT
authors: Doan
authors: Dept. of  Immunology, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors: Van Dong
authors: VD
authors: Le
authors: Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.
authors: Minh Si
authors: MS
authors: Do
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000502:physiology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Endothelial differentiation; Endothelial-like cells; Mesenchymal stem cells; Umbilical cord lining membrane