Thymosin β4 (Tβ4)-induced outgrowth and differentiation of vasculogenic precursor cells from adult epicardium (original) (raw)

Here we describe a simple protocol for the outgrowth and differentiation of vasculogenic precursor cells (endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells) from adult heart using Thymosin β4 to stimulate epicardial cell migration. The adult epicardium, unlike that of the embryo, has come to be regarded as a quiescent lineage, incapable of migration or differentiation. However, when given an appropriate stimulus, adult epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs) proved capable of migration and differentiation into endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts, the cell types known to derive from embryonic epicardium. We have identified Tβ4, an actin-binding protein required for embryonic coronary vasculature formation, as a factor which can induce EPDC migration from adult heart. This straightforward protocol provides a means of enabling adult EPDC migration and a model system in which to study the ability of factors to influence the migration of vascular precursors and their differentiation. Models such as this will be invaluable for in vitro testing of factors prior to clinical trials for therapeutic angiogenesis.