[Isolation, culture and identification of two types of endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood in rabbits].

AIM: To investigate how to isolate, culture and identify two types of endothelial progenitor cells from peripheral blood in rabbits.

METHODS: Mononuclear cells(MNCs) were isolated from rabbit peripheral blood. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and endothelial outgrowth cells (EOCs) were obtained from MNCs through different ways of isolation and culture. Two types of cells were assessed by DiI-ac-LDL uptake and lectin binding, and then they were identified by immunofluorescence of flk-1, immunocytochemistry of CD34 and VIII factor related antigen and vasculogenesis activity in vitro.

RESULTS: Two types of endothelial progenitor cells were obtained from rabbit peripheral blood through different ways of isolation and culture. EPCs on the seventh day and EOCs on the sixteenth day were positive for ac-LDL uptake and lectin binding, and both of them expressed CD34, flk-1 and VIII factor related antigen. EOCs were assembled into primitive vascular tube-like structures when plated in matrigel.

CONCLUSION: EPCs and EOCs could be obtained from rabbit peripheral blood when different ways of isolation and culture were performed. The system of cell culture can be applied to subsequent experiments in cell transplantation.