Endothelial colony forming cell

ECFCs are commercially available and phenotypically identified by the positive markers CD34, CD31, VEGFR2, eNOS, CD105, and vWF. They also must test negative for CD133, CD45, and CD117.{{cite journal |vauthors=Hyslop P, Grove I, Ingram D, Yoder M|title=Poietics ECFCs–Clonal Human Endothelial Colony Forming Cells : A New Highly Characterized Research Reagent to Study the Formation of Emergent Vascular Structures Both In Vitro and In Vivo |journal=Lonza Resource Notes |pages=3–5 |year=2009}} ECFCs are named for their ability to form colonies of cells which progress rapidly to capillary-like networks in vitro when cultured in biopolymer matrix, and in vivo.{{cite journal |vauthors=Hur J, Yoon CH, Kim HS, Choi JH, Kang HJ, Hwang KK, Oh BH, Lee MM, Park YB |title=Characterization of two types of endothelial progenitor cells and their different contributions to neovasculogenesis |journal=Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=288–93 |year=2004 |pmid=14699017 |doi=10.1161/01.ATV.0000114236.77009.06 |doi-access=free }}

In 2019, David Smadja described a standardized protocol for the isolation and culture of endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) in humans.{{Cite journal |last1=Smadja |first1=David M. |last2=Melero-Martin |first2=Juan M. |last3=Eikenboom |first3=Jeroen |last4=Bowman |first4=Mackenzie |last5=Sabatier |first5=Florence |last6=Randi |first6=Anna M. |date=July 2019 |title=Standardization of methods to quantify and culture endothelial colony-forming cells derived from peripheral blood: Position paper from the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis SSC |journal=Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis |volume=17 |issue=7 |pages=1190–1194 |doi=10.1111/jth.14462 |issn=1538-7836 |pmc=7028216 |pmid=31119878}} This was followed in 2023 by a publication surveying laboratory practices among teams working with these cells, conducted under the auspices of the ISTH Vascular Biology Scientific Subcommittee.{{Cite journal |last1=Blandinières |first1=Adeline |last2=Randi |first2=Anna M. |last3=Paschalaki |first3=Koralia E. |last4=Guerin |first4=Coralie L. |last5=Melero-Martin |first5=Juan M. |last6=Smadja |first6=David M. |date=September 2023 |title=Results of an international survey about methods used to isolate human endothelial colony-forming cells: guidance from the SSC on Vascular Biology of the ISTH |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37336438 |journal=Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis |volume=21 |issue=9 |pages=2611–2619 |doi=10.1016/j.jtha.2023.06.014 |issn=1538-7836 |pmid=37336438}}

A 2025 review emphasized the unique vasculogenic and immunomodulatory properties of cord blood-derived ECFCs (CB-ECFCs), highlighting their high proliferative capacity, immune-privileged profile, and therapeutic potential in vascular regeneration and tissue engineering.{{Cite journal |last1=Smadja |first1=David M. |last2=Berkane |first2=Yanis |last3=Bentounes |first3=Nun K. |last4=Rancic |first4=Jeanne |last5=Cras |first5=Audrey |last6=Pinault |first6=Cécile |last7=Ouarne |first7=Marie |last8=Paucod |first8=Elise |last9=Rachidi |first9=Walid |last10=Lellouch |first10=Alexandre G. |last11=Jeljeli |first11=Maxime |date=2025-03-06 |title=Immune-privileged cord blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells: advancing immunomodulation and vascular regeneration |journal=Angiogenesis |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=19 |doi=10.1007/s10456-025-09973-9 |issn=1573-7209 |pmc=11885380 |pmid=40047974}}

In 2022, it was proposed that ECFCs may originate from very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs).

A hierarchy has been demonstrated to exist within ECFC populations with regard to proliferative potential. Certain cells within the heterogeneous group of colony forming cells are demonstrated to reach significantly higher population doublings, and retain high levels of telomerase activity. These have been termed high proliferative potential endothelial colony forming cells, or HPP-ECFCs. In contrast, other cells that fit the phenotypic profile for an ECFC but do not maintain the same level of activity are LPP-ECFCs.{{cite journal |vauthors=Ingram DA, Mead LE, Tanaka H, Meade V, Fenoglio A, Mortell K, Pollok K, Ferkowicz MJ, Gilley D, Yoder MC |title=Identification of a novel hierarchy of endothelial progenitor cells using human peripheral and umbilical cord blood |journal=Blood |volume=104 |issue=9 |pages=2752–60 |year=2004 |pmid=15226175 |doi=10.1182/blood-2004-04-1396 |doi-access=free }}

Vascular endothelial stem cells have been defined as rare endothelial colony forming cells with extremely high proliferative potential.{{cite journal |vauthors=Sedwick C |title=On the hunt for vascular endothelial stem cells |journal=PLOS Biol. |volume=10 |issue=10 |pages=e1001408 |year=2012 |pmid=23091421 |pmc=3472991 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001408 |doi-access=free }} They have been identified by marker analysis as lin- (lineage negative) CD31+, CD105+, Sca-1+, CD117 (ckit)+ and thought have the ability to generate functional vasculature from single cells.{{cite journal |vauthors=Fang S, Wei J, Pentinmikko N, Leinonen H, Salven P |title=Generation of functional blood vessels from a single c-kit+ adult vascular endothelial stem cell |journal=PLOS Biol. |volume=10 |issue=10 |pages=e1001407 |year=2012 |pmid=23091420 |pmc=3473016 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001407 |doi-access=free }}

ECFCs have been shown to decline in number and clonal ability with age or peripheral arterial disease, though are increased with acute myocardial infarction.{{cite journal |vauthors=Shelley WC, Leapley AC, Huang L, Critser PJ, Zeng P, Prater D, Ingram DA, Tarantal AF, Yoder MC |title=Changes in the frequency and in vivo vessel-forming ability of rhesus monkey circulating endothelial colony-forming cells across the lifespan (birth to aged) |journal=Pediatr. Res. |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=156–61 |year=2012 |pmid=22258126 |pmc=3358134 |doi=10.1038/pr.2011.22 }} A low number of ECFCs has been identified as a risk factor for infant diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia.{{cite journal |vauthors=Baker CD, Balasubramaniam V, Mourani PM, Sontag MK, Black CP, Ryan SL, Abman SH |title=Cord blood angiogenic progenitor cells are decreased in bronchopulmonary dysplasia |journal=Eur. Respir. J. |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=1516–22 |year=2012 |pmid=22496315 |pmc=5596882 |doi=10.1183/09031936.00017312 }} ECFCs can become dysfunctional in gestational diabetes (rescued by Vitamin D administration),{{cite journal |vauthors=Gui J, Rohrbach A, Borns K, Hillemanns P, Feng L, Hubel CA, von Versen-Höynck F |title=Vitamin D rescues dysfunction of fetal endothelial colony forming cells from individuals with gestational diabetes |journal=Placenta |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=410–8 |year=2015 |pmid=25684656 |doi=10.1016/j.placenta.2015.01.195 }} smoking (driven by DNA damage),{{cite journal |vauthors=Paschalaki KE, Starke RD, Hu Y, Mercado N, Margariti A, Gorgoulis VG, Randi AM, Barnes PJ |title=Dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells from smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients due to increased DNA damage and senescence |journal=Stem Cells |volume=31 |issue=12 |pages=2813–26 |year=2013 |pmid=23897750 |pmc=4377082 |doi=10.1002/stem.1488 }} and premature birth (driven by decreased expression of histone deacetylase SIRT1).{{cite journal |vauthors=Vassallo PF, Simoncini S, Ligi I, Chateau AL, Bachelier R, Robert S, Morere J, Fernandez S, Guillet B, Marcelli M, Tellier E, Pascal A, Simeoni U, Anfosso F, Magdinier F, Dignat-George F, Sabatier F |title=Accelerated senescence of cord blood endothelial progenitor cells in premature neonates is driven by SIRT1 decreased expression |journal=Blood |volume=123 |issue=13 |pages=2116–26 |year=2014 |pmid=24518759 |doi=10.1182/blood-2013-02-484956 |doi-access=free }} ECFCs are thus thought to have a large potential in therapies for vasculopathies of various etiologies.

ECFC-like cells have also been generated from pluripotent stem cells, perhaps eliminating the need for direct harvesting of the cells for future use.{{cite journal |vauthors=Prasain N, Lee MR, Vemula S, Meador JL, Yoshimoto M, Ferkowicz MJ, Fett A, Gupta M, Rapp BM, Saadatzadeh MR, Ginsberg M, Elemento O, Lee Y, Voytik-Harbin SL, Chung HM, Hong KS, Reid E, O'Neill CL, Medina RJ, Stitt AW, Murphy MP, Rafii S, Broxmeyer HE, Yoder MC |title=Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to cells similar to cord-blood endothelial colony-forming cells |journal=Nat. Biotechnol. |volume=32 |issue=11 |pages=1151–7 |year=2014 |pmid=25306246 |doi=10.1038/nbt.3048 |pmc=4318247}}

• List of human cell types derived from the germ layers

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Endothelial Progenitor Cell}}

Category:Blood cells