Kara E McCloskey
University of California, USA
Title: Stem cell sources for building vasculature in microfluidic systems
Biography
Biography: Kara E McCloskey
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and are attractive in vitro models of vascular development, therapeutic angiogenesis, and tissue engineering. Although a number of biochemical signals have been identified for directing endothelial fate, many of these factors activate redundant pathways, and the minimal combinatorial signals directing vascular fate have yet to be elucidated. Using our stage-specific chemically-defined derivation methodology, we examined multiple combinatorial factors for directing vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), perictes, sprouting endothelial cells (ECs) and nonsporting ECs. While all ECs express vascular endothelial (VE-cadherin), the sprouting ECs express low levels of Flt-1 while nonsporting ECs expressing high levels of Flt-1. These cell populations were then examined for their unique potential to generate perfusable vasculature in vitro compared with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal human lung fibroblasts. Results indicate the stem cell-derived populations are more dynamic compare with HUVECs - forming vasculature very early in just 1-2 days, but lack longer-term stability. Further exploration is required for enhancing longer-term stability of vascular networks in vitro.