FBS Colloquia No.213Research Institute for Microbial Diseases

Endothelial Heterogeneity and Vascular Regeneration

Endothelial cells (ECs) covering the inner surface of blood vessels, are heterogeneous in terms of morphology, function, and gene expression in vivo. Recently we identified vascular resident endothelial stem cells (VESCs), which indicates ECs are also heterogeneous by their state of differentiation and constitute a hierarchical stem cell system within blood vessels in vivo. In this seminar, I will introduce current understandings of endothelial progenitor and stem cells and their role in vascular regeneration.