title: Directed Endothelial Progenitor Differentiation from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Via Wnt Activation Under Defined Conditions.
abstract: Efficient derivation of endothelial cells and their progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can facilitate studies of human vascular development, disease modeling, drug discovery, and cell-based therapy. Here we provide a detailed protocol for directing hPSCs to functional endothelial cells and their progenitors in a completely defined, growth factor- and serum-free system by temporal modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling via small molecules. We demonstrate a 10-day, two-stage process that recapitulates endothelial cell development, in which hPSCs first differentiate to endothelial progenitors that then generate functional endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. Methods to characterize endothelial cell identity and function are also described.
authors: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 3637 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
authors: Xiaoping
authors: X
authors: Bao
authors: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 3637 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.|Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Biology, and Huck Institutes of the Life Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
authors: Xiaojun
authors: X
authors: Lian
authors: Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, 3637 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA. sppalecek@wisc.edu.
authors: Sean P
authors: SP
authors: Palecek
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: Chemically defined; Endothelial cells; Endothelial progenitors; Growth factor-free; Human pluripotent stem cells; Serum-free; Small molecules; Wnt signaling