In vitro neovasculogenic potential of resident adipose tissue precursors.

Adipose tissue development is associated with neovascularization, which might be exploited therapeutically. We investigated the neovasculogenesis antigenic profile and kinetics in adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) to understand the potential of ADSCs to generate new vessels. Murine and human visceral adipose tissues were processed with collagenase to obtain ADSCs from the stromal vascular fraction. Freshly isolated murine and human ADSCs featured the expression of early markers of endothelial differentiation [uptake of DiI-labeled acetylated LDL, CD133, CD34, kinase insert domain receptor (KDR)], but not markers for more mature endothelial cells (CD31 and von Willebrand factor). In methylcellulose medium, multilocular cells positive for Oil Red O staining appeared after 6 days. After 10 days, clusters of ADSCs spontaneously formed branched tubelike structures, which were strongly positive for CD34 and CD31, while losing their ability to undergo adipocyte differentiation. In Matrigel, in the presence of endothelial growth factors ADSCs formed branched tubelike structures. By clonal assays in methylcellulose we also determined the frequency of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and erythroid (BFU-E) colony-forming units from ADSCs, compared with bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) used as a positive control. After 4-14 days, BMSCs formed 8 +/- 3 BFU-E and 40 +/- 10 CFU-GM, while ADSCs never produced colonies of myeloid progenitors. The developing adipose tissue has neovasculogenic potential, based on the recruitment of local rather than circulating progenitors. Adipose tissue might therefore be a viable autonomous source of cells for postnatal neovascularization.