[The study on EPC originated from human umbilical cord blood promoting neovascularization in ischemic skin flap].

Objective: Injecting the EPC into the corresponding skin flap to study EPC biological characteristics and its effect on neovascularization in ischemia skin flap.

Methods: CD133 + cells were enriched from human umbilical cord blood by immunomagnetic sorting, and cultured with EGM - 2MV media. After labeled with PKH26 (fluorescent cell linker), the EPC were injected into the over-length flap models made on athymic mice. Observing the EPCs trace and their participating in the flap vascularization using a fluorescent microscope. The potential of EPC neovascularization in ischemic tissue of skin flap was evaluated through measuring the necrotic area and vessel diameter and quantity in the skin flap.

Results: The skin flap necrosis area of EPC group is significantly smaller than that of control (P < 0.05), the dermal and hypodermal blood perfusion of EPC group is significantly more than that of control (P < 0.05). Immunohistological and label fluorescent analyses showed vWF antigen-positive cells and labeled cells constructing blood vessels of flap.

Conclusions: Our data support the EPC may contribute to angiogenesis, speed up ischemic tissue vascularization.