CD34 expression modulates tube-forming capacity and barrier properties of peripheral blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs).

ABSTRACT: Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) are grown from circulating CD34(+) progenitors present in adult peripheral blood, but during in vitro expansion part of the cells lose CD34. To evaluate whether the regulation of CD34 characterizes the angiogenic phenotypical features of PB-ECFCs, we investigated the properties of CD34(+) and CD34(-) ECFCs with respect to their ability to form capillary-like tubes in 3D fibrin matrices, tip-cell gene expression, and barrier integrity. Selection of CD34(+) and CD34(-) ECFCs from subcultured ECFCs was accomplished by magnetic sorting (FACS: CD34(+): 95 % pos; CD34(-): 99 % neg). Both fractions proliferated at same rate, while CD34(+) ECFCs exhibited higher tube-forming capacity and tip-cell gene expression than CD3(4-) cells. However, during cell cultu

SUBMITTER: Tasev D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4930476 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature