Human Blood-Vessel-Derived Stem Cells for Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Figure 2

Schematic depiction of hBVSCs at the origin of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). (A) hBVSCs, including myogenic endothelial cells (MECs, red), pericytes (green), and adventitial cells (AC, blue), are dissociated from fresh muscle biopsy and separated from endothelial cells (yellow) and other cell types. (B) Dissociated cells are purified to homogeneity by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and newly sorted MECs, pericytes, and ACs already exhibit multilineage developmental potentials. (C) FACS-purified pericytes, ACs, and possibly MECs give rise to authentic MSCs in long-term culture. (D) Nevertheless, whether native hBVSCs serve as a source of MSCs in situ and participate in tissue repair and regeneration remains an open question.