Identification of the hemangioblast in postnatal life

Blood. 2002 Nov 1;100(9):3203-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2002-05-1511.

Abstract

Postnatal CD34(+) cells expressing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (KDR) generate hematopoietic or endothelial progeny in different in vitro and in vivo assays. Hypothetically, CD34(+)KDR(+) cells may comprise hemangioblasts bipotent for both lineages. This hypothesis is consistent with 2 series of experiments. In the first series, in clonogenic culture permissive for hematopoietic and endothelial cell growth, CD34(+)KDR(+) cells generate large hemato-endothelial (Hem-End) colonies (5% of seeded cells), whereas CD34(+)KDR(-) cells do not. Limiting-dilution analysis indicates that Hem-End colonies are clonally generated by single hemangioblasts. Sibling cells generated by a hemangioblast, replated in unicellular culture, produce either hematopoietic or Hem-End colonies, depending on the specific culture conditions. Identification of endothelial cells was based on the expression of VE-cadherin and endothelial markers and with lack of CD45 and hematopoietic molecules, as evaluated by immunofluorescence, immunocytochemistry, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, endothelial cells were functionally identified using low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and tube-formation assays. In the second series, to evaluate the self-renewal capacity of hemangioblasts, single CD34(+)KDR(+) cells were grown in 3-month extended long-term culture (ELTC) through 3 serial culture rounds-that is, blast cells generated in unicellular ELTC were reseeded for a subsequent round of unicellular ELTC. After 9 months, 10% blasts from tertiary ELTC functioned as hemangioblasts and generated macroscopic Hem-End colonies in clonogenic culture. These studies identified postnatal hemangioblasts in a CD34(+)KDR(+) cell subset, endowed with long-term proliferative potential and bilineage differentiation capacity. Although exceedingly rare, hemangioblasts may represent the lifetime source/reservoir for primitive hematopoietic and endothelial progenitors.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, CD34 / analysis*
  • Antigens, Differentiation / analysis
  • Bone Marrow Cells / classification
  • Cadherins / analysis*
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Division
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cells, Cultured / cytology
  • Colony-Forming Units Assay
  • Culture Media, Serum-Free
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology*
  • Fetal Blood / cytology
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens / analysis
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / chemistry
  • Stem Cells / classification*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / analysis*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, CD34
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Cadherins
  • Culture Media, Serum-Free
  • Lipoproteins, LDL
  • cadherin 5
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens