Critical role of the TIE2 endothelial cell receptor in the development of definitive hematopoiesis.

We have investigated the function of TIE2/TEK receptor tyrosine kinase in the development of definitive hematopoiesis. In the vitelline artery at 9.5 days postcoitum (d.p.c.), TIE2+ hematopoietic cells aggregated and adhered to TIE2+ endothelial cells. Soluble TIE2-Fc chimeric protein inhibited the development of hematopoiesis and angiogenesis in the para-aortic splanchnopleural mesoderm (P-Sp) explant culture, and TIE2-deficient mice showed severely impaired definitive hematopoiesis. An in vitro study revealed that Angiopoietin-1 but not Angiopoietin-2 promoted the adhesion to fibronectin (FN) through integrins in TIE2-transfected cells and primary TIE2+ cells sorted from 9.5 d.p.c. P-Sp. Adhesion of TIE2+ cells induced by Angiopoietin-1 enhanced the proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.