THREE-DIMENSIONAL VASCULAR NETWORK ASSEMBLY FROM INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS

摘要

Early vascular cells (EVCs), including endothelial cells and pericytes, are generated from hiPSCs. Unlike the isolated endothelial progenitor cells, the differentiated ECs mature and are functional. When encapsulated in synthetic hydrogel, EVCs respond to matrix cues and self-assembled to form three-dimensional EVCs. Moreover, these EVCs respond to hypoxic microenvironment and undergo vasculogenesis to form complex 3D networks.