Human pluripotent stem cell-based system for generating endothelial cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to chemically defined and xenogeneic material-free methods for deriving endothelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells. In particular, the present invention provides highly efficient and reproducible methods of obtaining human endothelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells, where endothelial cells derived from the methods provided herein are suitable for clinically relevant therapeutic applications.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An isolated cell population of human pluripotent stem cell-derived CD31 +  endothelial cells obtained according to a method comprising:
 culturing human pluripotent stem cells to obtain a cell population comprising at least 50% CD31 +  endothelial cells, wherein culturing comprises, in order: 
 (i) culturing the pluripotent stem cells for about two days in a chemically defined culture medium comprising a serum-free growth supplement, a Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), and Activin A; and 
 (ii) culturing the cultured cells of (i) for about three days in a chemically defined culture medium that comprises a serum-free growth supplement and does not comprise Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGFβ1), whereby the cultured cells differentiate into endothelial cells.