The next generation of endothelial differentiation: Tissue-specific ECs

Jane Nguyen; Ying-Yu Lin; Sharon Gerecht

doi:10.1016/j.stem.2021.05.002

The next generation of endothelial differentiation: Tissue-specific ECs

Cell Stem Cell. 2021 Jul 1;28(7):1188-1204. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.05.002. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Authors

Jane Nguyen¹, Ying-Yu Lin¹, Sharon Gerecht²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
² Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: gerecht@jhu.edu.

PMID: 34081899
DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.05.002

Abstract

Endothelial cells (ECs) sense and respond to fluid flow and regulate immune cell trafficking in all organs. Despite sharing the same mesodermal origin, ECs exhibit heterogeneous tissue-specific characteristics. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can potentially be harnessed to capture this heterogeneity and further elucidate endothelium behavior to satisfy the need for increased accuracy and breadth of disease models and therapeutics. Here, we review current strategies for hPSC differentiation to blood vascular ECs and their maturation into continuous, fenestrated, and sinusoidal tissues. We then discuss the contribution of hPSC-derived ECs to recent advances in organoid development and organ-on-chip approaches.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Cell Differentiation
Endothelial Cells*
Humans
Organoids
Pluripotent Stem Cells*