Efficient differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to endothelial progenitors via small-molecule activation of WNT signaling.

ABSTRACT: Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived endothelial cells and their progenitors may provide the means for vascularization of tissue-engineered constructs and can serve as models to study vascular development and disease. Here, we report a method to efficiently produce endothelial cells from hPSCs via GSK3 inhibition and culture in defined media to direct hPSC differentiation to CD34(+)CD31(+) endothelial progenitors. Exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment was dispensable, and endothelial progenitor differentiation was β-catenin dependent. Furthermore, by clonal analysis, we showed that CD34(+)CD31(+)CD117(+)TIE-2(+) endothelial progenitors were multipotent, capable of differentiating into calponin-expressing smooth muscle cells and CD31(+)CD144(+)vWF(+)I-CAM1(+) e

SUBMITTER: Lian X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4235141 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature