Identification and characterization of a resident vascular stem/progenitor cell population in preexisting blood vessels.

ABSTRACT: Vasculogenesis, the in-situ assembly of angioblast or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), may persist into adult life, contributing to new blood vessel formation. However, EPCs are scattered throughout newly developed blood vessels and cannot be solely responsible for vascularization. Here, we identify an endothelial progenitor/stem-like population located at the inner surface of preexisting blood vessels using the Hoechst method in which stem cell populations are identified as side populations. This population is dormant in the steady state but possesses colony-forming ability, produces large numbers of endothelial cells (ECs) and when transplanted into ischaemic lesions, restores blood flow completely and reconstitutes de-novo long-term surviving blood vessels. Moreover, although surfac

SUBMITTER: Naito H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3280559 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature