Identification of vascular lineage-specific genes by transcriptional profiling of isolated blood vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells.

ABSTRACT: In mammals, the lymphatic vascular system develops by budding of lymphatic progenitor endothelial cells from embryonic veins to form a distinct network of draining vessels with important functions in the immune response and in cancer metastasis. However, the lineage-specific molecular characteristics of blood vascular versus lymphatic endothelium have remained poorly defined. We isolated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and blood vascular endothelial cells (BVECs) by immunomagnetic isolation directly from human skin. Cultured LECs but not BVECs expressed the lymphatic markers Prox1 and LYVE-1 and formed LYVE-1-positive vascular tubes after implantation in vivo. Transcriptional profiling studies revealed increased expression of several extracellular matrix and adhesion molecules in BVECs,

SUBMITTER: Hirakawa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1851142 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature