Figure 6

VEGF-A drives endothelial differentiation and promotes survival via increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis of the human Isl1⁺ progenitors in vivo. (A) FACS analyses to determine the percentage of CD144⁺CD31⁺ ECs differentiated from the human Isl1-cre eGFP⁺ cells isolated from matrigel plugs following incubation in the presence of vehicle or VEGF-A modRNA 2 weeks post s.c. implantation. (B, C) Cell counting to determine the percentage of proliferation (eGFP⁺Ki67⁺ by immunostaining), apoptosis (eGFP⁺Tunel⁺ by immunostaining) or survival (total eGFP⁺ cells by FACS) of the human Isl1-cre eGFP⁺ cells in the vehicle- or VEGF-A modRNA-treated matrigel plugs two weeks post s.c. implantation. (D) Model for the proposed cell fate switch of the human Isl1⁺ progenitors following VEGF-A treatment.