Generation of functional blood vessels from a single c-kit+ adult vascular endothelial stem cell.

ABSTRACT: In adults, the growth of blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis, is essential for organ growth and repair. In many disorders including cancer, angiogenesis becomes excessive. The cellular origin of new vascular endothelial cells (ECs) during blood vessel growth in angiogenic situations has remained unknown. Here, we provide evidence for adult vascular endothelial stem cells (VESCs) that reside in the blood vessel wall endothelium. VESCs constitute a small subpopulation within CD117+ (c-kit+) ECs capable of undergoing clonal expansion while other ECs have a very limited proliferative capacity. Isolated VESCs can produce tens of millions of endothelial daughter cells in vitro. A single transplanted c-kit-expressing VESC by the phenotype lin-CD31+CD105+Sca1+CD117+ can generate in vivo

SUBMITTER: Fang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3473016 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature