title: Development of Blood and Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in Embryonic and Fetal Human Skin.
abstract: Blood and lymphatic vessels provide nutrients for the skin and fulfill important homeostatic functions, such as the regulation of immunologic processes. In this study, we investigated the development of blood and lymphatic endothelial cells in prenatal human skin in situ using multicolor immunofluorescence and analyzed angiogenic molecules by protein arrays of lysates and cell culture supernatants. We found that at 8 to 10 weeks of estimated gestational age, CD144(+) vessels predominantly express the venous endothelial cell marker PAL-E, whereas CD144(+)PAL-E(-) vessels compatible with arteries only appear at the end of the first trimester. Lymphatic progenitor cells at 8 weeks of estimated gestational age express CD31, CD144, Prox1, and temporary PAL-E. At that developmental stage not all lymphatic progenitor cells express podoplanin or Lyve-1, which are acquired with advancing gestational age in a stepwise fashion. Already in second-trimester human skin, the phenotype of blood and lymphatic vessels roughly resembles the one in adult skin. The expression pattern of angiogenic molecules in lysates and cell culture supernatants of prenatal skin did not reveal the expected bent to proangiogenic molecules, indicating a complex regulation of angiogenesis during ontogeny. In summary, this study provides enticing new insights into the development and phenotypic characteristics of the vascular system in human prenatal skin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunobiology of the Skin, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: christopher.schuster@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.affiliation: Research Divisions of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mildner
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunobiology of the Skin, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunobiology of the Skin, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.affiliation: TissueGnostics GmbH, Vienna, Austria; Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rogojanu
authors.affiliation: Research Divisions of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Lucian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.affiliation: Gynmed-Ambulatorium, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiala
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eppel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunobiology of the Skin, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Skin & Endothelium, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petzelbauer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunobiology of the Skin, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Adelheid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbe-Bürger
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers