VE-Cadherin as a Specific Promoter for Genetic Labelling and Selection of Pure Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells for Therapeutic Purposes

Rationale: Endothelial cells (ECs) play a central role in many pathological conditions related to cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, smoking, and pulmonary hypertension. One of the therapeutic modalities for diseases with underlying endothelial dysfunction is cell-based therapy. In this study, we took advantage of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), owing to their unlimited self-renewal capacity and potential to develop into functional cell types for further use in animal disease models. Methods: To label and purify embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells, a lentiviral-based construct was…