Lipoconstruct surface topography grating size influences vascularization onset in the dorsal skinfold chamber model.

After skin tissue injury or pathological removal, vascularization timing is paramount in graft survival. As full thickness skin grafts often fail to become perfused over larger surfaces, split-thickness grafts are preferred and can be used together with biomaterials, which themselves are non-angiogenic. One way of promoting vascular ingrowth is to "pre-vascularize" an engineered substitute by introducing endothelial cells (ECs). Since it has been previously demonstrated that surface structured biomaterials have an effect on wound healing, skin regeneration, and fibrosis reduction, we proposed that a microvascular-rich lipoconstruct with anisotropic topographical cues could be a clinically translatable vascularization approach. Murine lipofragments were formed with three polydimethylsiloxane molds (flat, 5 µm, and 50 µm parallel gratings) and implanted into the dorsal skinfold chamber of male C57BL/6 mice. Vascular ingrowth was observed through intravital microscopy over 21 days and further assessed by histology and protein identification. Our investigation revealed that topographical feature size influenced the commencement of neovascular ingrowth, with 5 µm gratings exhibiting early construct perfusion at 3 days post-operation, and 50 µm being delayed until day 5. We therefore postulate that surface structured lipoconstructs may serve as an easily obtained and produced construct suitable for providing soft tissue and ECs to tissue defects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Skin graft failures due to inadequate or uneven perfusion frequently occur and can be even more complicated in deep, difficult to heal wounds, or bone coverage. In complex injuries, biomaterials are often used to cover bone structures with a standard split thickness graft; however, perfusion can take up to 3 weeks. Thus, any means to promote faster and uniform vascularization could significantly reduce healing time, as well as lower patient down-time. As pre-vascularized constructs have reported success in research, we created a cost-efficient, translatable method with no additional laboratory time as adipose tissue can be harvested and used immediately. We further used surface topography as an aspect to modulate construct perfusion, which has been reported for the first time here.

Myocardial Monophasic Action Potential Recorded by Suction Electrode for Ionic Current Studies in Zebrafish.

The study of myocardial transmembrane ion currents is fundamental to understand frequent pathologies such as arrhythmias and ischemia. Conventional electrocardiography (ECG) is not able to record ion currents, while the use of intracellular microelectrodes in a beating heart has technical limitations. Myocardial monophasic action potentials (MAPs) recorded with suction electrodes allow the evaluation of ionic currents similar to those recorded by intracellular glass microelectrodes. The technique is based on the fact that suction, through a small diameter tube, on the myocardial cell, induces an opening at the membrane, connecting the intracellular media to the electrode by a saline bridge. The electrophysiology of zebrafish heart is remarkably similar to the human; however, in situ evaluation of MAPs has not been yet explored. In this study, we aimed to establish a myocardial MAP recording technique for adult zebrafish. Male adult wild-type zebrafish were anesthetized and 50% of the beating ventricle was exposed. A glass hematocrit capillary tube (1.1 mm inner diameter) was used as a suction electrode connected to a 3-way stopcock valve, which is also connected to a syringe containing a chloride-coated silver wire for signal recording. Gentle suction was exerted by a syringe filled with ringer and connected to the 3-way stopcock valve. Two needles were used for ground (tail) and indifferent (abdomen) electrodes. Without suction, the system can record conventional ECG, but applying suction MAPs are registered and show typical morphology with phase 0-4 sequence. MAP amplitude and duration values show low variability. Ischemia and/or lidocaine-induced Na+ channel blocking dramatically reduced MAP amplitude. These results strongly suggest that the suction electrode technique is a promising method to record myocardial ion currents in situ in zebrafish.

A Reliable Preclinical Model to Study the Impact of Cigarette Smoke in Development and Disease.

The World Health Organization has estimated that, worldwide, cigarette smoking has caused more than 100 million deaths in the last century, a number that is expected to increase in the future. Understanding cigarette smoke toxicity is key for research and development of proper public health policies. The current challenge is to establish a reliable preclinical model to evaluate the effects of cigarette smoke. In this work, we describe a simple method that allows for quantifying the toxic effects of cigarette smoke using zebrafish. Here, viability of larvae and adult fish, as well as the effects of cigarette smoke extracts on vascular development and tissue regeneration, can be easily assayed. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Long-term pre- and postconditioning with low doses of erythropoietin protects critically perfused musculocutaneous tissue from necrosis.

It has been shown that pre- and postconditioning of ischemically challenged tissue with erythropoietin (EPO) is able to reduce necrosis in a dose-dependent manner. The aim of this study was to determine the tissue-protective effects of different EPO dosages and administration regimes. Three groups of six C57Bl/6-mice each were analyzed: (1) pre- and postconditioning with initial high doses of EPO (starting at 2500 I.U./kg bw i.p.) followed by low doses of EPO (125 I.U./kg bw i.p.) (EPO-high-dose); (2) pre- and postconditioning with low doses of EPO (125 I.U./kg bw i.p.) (EPO-low-dose); and (3) untreated control group. Randomly perfused musculocutaneous flaps were mounted on dorsal skinfold chambers undergoing acute persistent ischemia and developing ∼50% necrosis without treatment. Intravital epifluorescence microscopy was performed at days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 after surgery, assessing flap necrosis, microcirculation, and angiogenesis. The hematocrit was measured at days 0, 3, 7, and 10. Only the EPO-low-dose regimen was associated with a significant reduction of necrosis when compared to untreated controls. EPO-low-dose showed a higher increase in both arteriolar diameter and velocity, thereby resulting in a significantly increased arteriolar blood flow and a hence higher functional capillary density (FCD) of the critically perfused zone. EPO-induced angiogenesis was significantly increased in EPO-low-dose at days 7 and 10. Only EPO-high-dose reached a significant hematocrit increase by day 10. Tissue pre- and postconditioning with low doses of EPO protects the critically perfused musculocutaneous tissue by maintaining capillary perfusion because of increased arteriolar blood flow mediated by nitric oxide (NO) expression.

A Novel In Vivo Model to Study Impaired Tissue Regeneration Mediated by Cigarette Smoke.

Cigarette smoke is associated with several pathologies including chronic respiratory diseases and cancer. In addition, exposure to cigarette smoke is correlated with impaired wound healing, where a significant decrease in the regenerative capacity of smokers is well documented and broadly considered a negative risk factor after trauma or surgery. So far, some in vitro and in vivo models have been described to study how exposure to cigarette smoke diminishes the regenerative potential in different organisms. However, although useful, many of these models are difficult and expensive to implement and do not allow high-throughput screening approaches. In order to establish a reliable and accessible model, we have evaluated the effects of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on zebrafish development and regeneration. In this work, zebrafish embryos and larvae were exposed to low doses of aqueous CSE showing severe developmental abnormalities in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, when adult zebrafish were subjected to caudal fin amputation, we observed a significant decrease in the regenerative capacity of animals exposed to CSE. The effect was exacerbated in male and aged fish compared to female or young organisms. The establishment of a zebrafish model to assess the consequences of cigarette smoke and its effects on animal physiology could provide a new tool to study the underlying mechanisms involved in impaired tissue regeneration, and aid the development of novel approaches to treat complications associated with cigarette smoke toxicity.

Zebrafish as an Emerging Model Organism to Study Angiogenesis in Development and Regeneration.

Angiogenesis is the process through which new blood vessels are formed from preexisting ones and plays a critical role in several conditions including embryonic development, tissue repair and disease. Moreover, enhanced therapeutic angiogenesis is a major goal in the field of regenerative medicine and efficient vascularization of artificial tissues and organs is one of the main hindrances in the implementation of tissue engineering approaches, while, on the other hand, inhibition of angiogenesis is a key therapeutic target to inhibit for instance tumor growth. During the last decades, the understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this process has been matter of intense research. In this regard, several in vitro and in vivo models have been established to visualize and study migration of endothelial progenitor cells, formation of endothelial tubules and the generation of new vascular networks, while assessing the conditions and treatments that either promote or inhibit such processes. In this review, we address and compare the most commonly used experimental models to study angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. In particular, we focus on the implementation of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study angiogenesis and discuss the advantages and not yet explored possibilities of its use as model organism.

Hypoxic pre-conditioning increases the infiltration of endothelial cells into scaffolds for dermal regeneration pre-seeded with mesenchymal stem cells.

Many therapies using mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) rely on their ability to produce and release paracrine signals with chemotactic and pro-angiogenic activity. These characteristics, however, are mostly studied under standard in vitro culture conditions. In contrast, various novel cell-based therapies imply pre-seeding MSC into bio-artificial scaffolds. Here we describe human bone marrow-derived MSC seeded in Integra matrices, a common type of scaffold for dermal regeneration (SDR). We show and measured the distribution of MSC within the SDR, where cells clearly establish physical interactions with the scaffold, exhibiting constant metabolic activity for at least 15 days. In the SDR, MSC secrete VEGF and SDF-1α and induce transwell migration of CD34(+) hematopoietic/endothelial progenitor cells, which is inhibited in the presence of a CXCR4/SDF-1α antagonist. MSC in SDR respond to hypoxia by altering levels of angiogenic signals such as Angiogenin, Serpin-1, uPA, and IL-8. Finally, we show that MSC-containing SDR that have been pre-incubated in hypoxia show higher infiltration of endothelial cells after implantation into immune deficient mice. Our data show that MSC are fully functional ex vivo when implanted into SDR. In addition, our results strongly support the notion of hypoxic pre-conditioning MSC-containing SDR, in order to promote angiogenesis in the wounds.

In Vitro Evaluation of Scaffolds for the Delivery of Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Wounds.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to improve tissue regeneration in several preclinical and clinical trials. These cells have been used in combination with three-dimensional scaffolds as a promising approach in the field of regenerative medicine. We compare the behavior of human adipose-derived MSCs (AdMSCs) on four different biomaterials that are awaiting or have already received FDA approval to determine a suitable regenerative scaffold for delivering these cells to dermal wounds and increasing healing potential. AdMSCs were isolated, characterized, and seeded onto scaffolds based on chitosan, fibrin, bovine collagen, and decellularized porcine dermis. In vitro results demonstrated that the scaffolds strongly influence key parameters, such as seeding efficiency, cellular distribution, attachment, survival, metabolic activity, and paracrine release. Chick chorioallantoic membrane assays revealed that the scaffold composition similarly influences the angiogenic potential of AdMSCs in vivo. The wound healing potential of scaffolds increases by means of a synergistic relationship between AdMSCs and biomaterial resulting in the release of proangiogenic and cytokine factors, which is currently lacking when a scaffold alone is utilized. Furthermore, the methods used herein can be utilized to test other scaffold materials to increase their wound healing potential with AdMSCs.

Generation of Viable Plant-Vertebrate Chimeras.

The extreme dependence on external oxygen supply observed in animals causes major clinical problems and several diseases are related to low oxygen tension in tissues. The vast majority of the animals do not produce oxygen but a few exceptions have shown that photosynthetic capacity is physiologically compatible with animal life. Such symbiotic photosynthetic relationships are restricted to a few aquatic invertebrates. In this work we aimed to explore if we could create a chimerical organism by incorporating photosynthetic eukaryotic cells into a vertebrate animal model. Here, the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was injected into zebrafish eggs and the interaction and viability of both organisms were studied. Results show that microalgae were distributed into different tissues, forming a fish-alga chimera organism for a prolonged period of time. In addition, microscopic observation of injected algae, in vivo expression of their mRNA and re-growth of the algae ex vivo suggests that they survived to the developmental process, living for several days after injection. Moreover microalgae did not trigger a significant inflammatory response in the fish. This work provides additional evidence to support the possibility that photosynthetic vertebrates can be engineered.

Ischemic tissue injury in the dorsal skinfold chamber of the mouse: a skin flap model to investigate acute persistent ischemia.

Despite profound expertise and advanced surgical techniques, ischemia-induced complications ranging from wound breakdown to extensive tissue necrosis are still occurring, particularly in reconstructive flap surgery. Multiple experimental flap models have been developed to analyze underlying causes and mechanisms and to investigate treatment strategies to prevent ischemic complications. The limiting factor of most models is the lacking possibility to directly and repetitively visualize microvascular architecture and hemodynamics. The goal of the protocol was to present a well-established mouse model affiliating these before mentioned lacking elements. Harder et al. have developed a model of a musculocutaneous flap with a random perfusion pattern that undergoes acute persistent ischemia and results in ~50% necrosis after 10 days if kept untreated. With the aid of intravital epi-fluorescence microscopy, this chamber model allows repetitive visualization of morphology and hemodynamics in different regions of interest over time. Associated processes such as apoptosis, inflammation, microvascular leakage and angiogenesis can be investigated and correlated to immunohistochemical and molecular protein assays. To date, the model has proven feasibility and reproducibility in several published experimental studies investigating the effect of pre-, peri- and postconditioning of ischemically challenged tissue.

A full skin defect model to evaluate vascularization of biomaterials in vivo.

Insufficient vascularization is considered to be one of the main factors limiting the clinical success of tissue-engineered constructs. In order to evaluate new strategies that aim at improving vascularization, reliable methods are required to make the in-growth of new blood vessels into bio-artificial scaffolds visible and quantify the results. Over the past couple of years, our group has introduced a full skin defect model that enables the direct visualization of blood vessels by transillumination and provides the possibility of quantification through digital segmentation. In this model, one surgically creates full skin defects in the back of mice and replaces them with the material tested. Molecules or cells of interest can also be incorporated in such materials to study their potential effect. After an observation time of one's own choice, materials are explanted for evaluation. Bilateral wounds provide the possibility of making internal comparisons that minimize artifacts among individuals as well as of decreasing the number of animals needed for the study. In comparison to other approaches, our method offers a simple, reliable and cost effective analysis. We have implemented this model as a routine tool to perform high-resolution screening when testing vascularization of different biomaterials and bio-activation approaches.

Functional analysis reveals angiogenic potential of human mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's jelly in dermal regeneration.

Disorders in skin wound healing are a major health problem that requires the development of innovative treatments. The use of biomaterials as an alternative of skin replacement has become relevant, but its use is still limited due to poor vascularization inside the scaffolds, resulting in insufficient oxygen and growth factors at the wound site. In this study, we have developed a cell-based wound therapy consisting of the application of collagen-based dermal scaffolds containing mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSC) in an immunocompetent mouse model of angiogenesis. From our comparative study on the secretion profile between WJ-MSC and adipose tissue-derived MSC, we found a stronger expression of several well-characterized growth factors, such as VEGF-A, angiopoietin-1 and aFGF, which are directly linked to angiogenesis, in the culture supernatant of WJ-MSC, both on monolayer and 3D culture conditions. WJ-MSC proved to be angiogenic both in vitro and in vivo, through tubule formation and CAM assays, respectively. Moreover, WJ-MSC consistently improved the healing response in vivo in a mouse model of human-like dermal repair, by triggering angiogenesis and further providing a suitable matrix for wound repair, without altering the inflammatory response in the animals. Since these cells can be easily isolated, cultured with high expansion rates and cryopreserved, they represent an attractive stem cell source for their use in allogeneic cell transplant and tissue engineering.

Long-term preconditioning with erythropoietin reduces ischemia-induced skin necrosis.

OBJECTIVE: Recent findings have attested to EPO tissue-protective effects in ischemically challenged tissues. Therefore, the study aimed at elaborating the effect of systemic pre- and postconditioning using EPO in a mouse model of persistent ischemia of the skin. METHODS: Three groups of nine C57Bl/6-mice each were analyzed. The experimental groups consisted of untreated controls, EPO preconditioning, and EPO postconditioning (500 IU EPO/kg bw/day for 10 days). Critically perfused skin flaps undergoing necrosis, if kept untreated, were mounted into dorsal skinfold chambers. Intravital epi-fluorescence microscopy was performed for 10 days to assess tissue necrosis, microcirculation, inflammation, and angiogenesis. Protein expression analysis of eNOS was performed. Hematocrit analyses were carried out separately in eight animals. RESULTS: Only EPO preconditioning was able to significantly reduce necrosis, when compared with controls. This correlated with a significantly increased CD in the critically perfused tissue. Administration of EPO only slightly increased eNOS expression at day 10, when compared with controls. EPO induced angiogenesis and increased hematocrit. Finally, EPO significantly reduced leukocytic inflammation in arterioles in all EPO receiving mice. CONCLUSIONS: EPO preconditioning effectively reduces skin necrosis predominantly by capillary maintenance and reperfusion, as well as improved tissue regeneration. Thus, EPO preconditioning might represent a promising, non-invasive approach to reduce complications in ischemically challenged skin.

The use of non-viral gene vectors for bioactive poly-(D,L-lactide) implant surfaces in bone tissue engineering.

The application of scaffolds in bone tissue engineering often comes along with side effects such as poor integrity, low regeneration rates of bone tissue with inadequate functionality, and, in case of non-degradable implants, the necessity of a second removal surgery after therapy. In this study, we coated a bioresorbable FDA-approved poly-(ε-caprolactone)-scaffold for bone regeneration with a poly-(D,L-lactide) layer containing copolymer-protected gene vectors to locally provide bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Results show that the presence of such gene vectors did not affect the distribution and attachment of seeded cells on gene-activated surfaces. BMP-2 was released into cell culture supernatants and furthermore detected in homogenised scaffolds. Increased amounts of osteoblastic markers, such as osteocalcin, osteopontin and the activity of alkaline phosphatase, in gene-activated scaffolds in vitro suggest a transdifferentiation of myoblastic C2C12 cells into the osteoblastic phenotype. With this study we present a new technology to bioactivate implant surfaces with non-viral gene vectors. This tool allows the stimulation of tissue regeneration by a local release of therapeutic proteins in vivo.

The use of human sweat gland-derived stem cells for enhancing vascularization during dermal regeneration.

Vascularization is a key process in tissue engineering and regeneration and represents one of the most important issues in the field of regenerative medicine. Thus, several strategies to improve vascularization are currently under clinical evaluation. In this study, stem cells derived from human sweat glands were isolated, characterized, seeded in collagen scaffolds, and engrafted in a mouse full skin defect model for dermal regeneration. Results showed that these cells exhibit high proliferation rates and express stem cell and differentiation markers. Moreover, cells responded to angiogenic environments by increasing their migration (P<0.001) and proliferation (P<0.05) capacity and forming capillary-like structures. After seeding in the scaffolds, cells distributed homogeneously, interacting directly with the scaffold, and released bioactive molecules involved in angiogenesis, immune response, and tissue remodeling. In vivo, scaffolds containing cells were used to induce dermal regeneration. Here we have found that the presence of the cells significantly improved vascularization (P<0.001). As autologous sweat gland-derived stem cells are easy to obtain, exhibit a good proliferation capacity, and improve vascularization during dermal regeneration, we suggest that the combined use of sweat gland-derived stem cells and scaffolds for dermal regeneration might improve dermal regeneration in future clinical settings.

Green tea protects human osteoblasts from cigarette smoke-induced injury: possible clinical implication.

PURPOSE: Recent reports discuss the altered bone homeostasis in cigarette smokers, being a risk factor for osteoporosis and negatively influencing fracture healing. Cigarette smoke is known to induce oxidative stress in the body via an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These increases in ROS are thought to damage the bone-forming osteoblasts. Naturally occurring polyphenols contained in green tea extract (GTE), e.g., catechins, are known to have anti-oxidative properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether GTE and especially catechins protect primary human osteoblasts from cigarette smoke-induced damage and to identify the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Primary human osteoblasts were isolated from patients' femur heads. Cigarette smoke medium (CSM) was obtained using a gas-washing bottle and standardized by its optical density (OD(320)) at λ = 320 nm. ROS formation was measured using 2'7'dichlorofluorescein diacetate, and osteoblasts' viability was detected by resazurin conversion. RESULTS: Co-, pre-, and post-incubation with GTE and catechins significantly reduced ROS formation and thus improved the viability of CSM-treated osteoblasts. Besides GTE's direct radical scavenging properties, pre-incubation with both GTE and catechins protected osteoblasts from CSM-induced damage. Inhibition of the anti-oxidative enzyme HO-1 significantly reduced the protective effect of GTE and catechins emphasizing the key role of this enzyme in GTE anti-oxidative effect. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest possible beneficial effects on bone homeostasis, fracture healing, and bone mineral density following a GTE-rich diet or supplementation.

Cell-based resorption assays for bone graft substitutes.

The clinical utilization of resorbable bone substitutes has been growing rapidly during the last decade, creating a rising demand for new resorbable biomaterials. An ideal resorbable bone substitute should not only function as a load-bearing material but also integrate into the local bone remodeling process. This means that these bone substitutes need to undergo controlled resorption and then be replaced by newly formed bone structures. Thus the assessment of resorbability is an important first step in predicting the in vivo clinical function of bone substitute biomaterials. Compared with in vivo assays, cell-based assays are relatively easy, reproducible, inexpensive and do not involve the suffering of animals. Moreover, the discovery of RANKL and M-CSF for osteoclastic differentiation has made the differentiation and cultivation of human osteoclasts possible and, as a result, human cell-based bone substitute resorption assays have been developed. In addition, the evolution of microscopy technology allows advanced analyses of the resorption pits on biomaterials. The aim of the current review is to give a concise update on in vitro cell-based resorption assays for analyzing bone substitute resorption. For this purpose models using different cells from different species are compared. Several popular two-dimensional and three-dimensional optical methods used for resorption assays are described. The limitations and advantages of the current ISO degradation assay in comparison with cell-based assays are discussed.

Engineering of vascularized adipose constructs.

Adipose tissue engineering offers a promising alternative to the current surgical techniques for the treatment of soft tissue defects. It is a challenge to find the appropriate scaffold that not only represents a suitable environment for cells but also allows fabrication of customized tissue constructs, particularly in breast surgery. We investigated two different scaffolds for their potential use in adipose tissue regeneration. Sponge-like polyurethane scaffolds were prepared by mold casting with methylal as foaming agent, whereas polycaprolactone scaffolds with highly regular stacked-fiber architecture were fabricated with fused deposition modeling. Both scaffold types were seeded with human adipose tissue-derived precursor cells, cultured and implanted in nude mice using a femoral arteriovenous flow-through vessel loop for angiogenesis. In vitro, cells attached to both scaffolds and differentiated into adipocytes. In vivo, angiogenesis and adipose tissue formation were observed throughout both constructs after 2 and 4 weeks, with angiogenesis being comparable in seeded and unseeded constructs. Fibrous tissue formation and adipogenesis were more pronounced on polyurethane foam scaffolds than on polycaprolactone prototyped scaffolds. In conclusion, both scaffold designs can be effectively used for adipose tissue engineering.

Quercetin protects primary human osteoblasts exposed to cigarette smoke through activation of the antioxidative enzymes HO-1 and SOD-1.

Smokers frequently suffer from impaired fracture healing often due to poor bone quality and stability. Cigarette smoking harms bone cells and their homeostasis by increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this study was to investigate whether Quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, can protect osteoblasts from the toxic effects of smoking. Human osteoblasts exposed to cigarette smoke medium (CSM) rapidly produced ROS and their viability decreased concentration- and time-dependently. Co-, pre- and postincubation with Quercetin dose-dependently improved their viability. Quercetin increased the expression of the anti-oxidative enzymes heme-oxygenase- (HO-) 1 and superoxide-dismutase- (SOD-) 1. Inhibiting HO-1 activity abolished the protective effect of Quercetin. Our results demonstrate that CSM damages human osteoblasts by accumulation of ROS. Quercetin can diminish this damage by scavenging the radicals and by upregulating the expression of HO-1 and SOD-1. Thus, a dietary supplementation with Quercetin could improve bone matter, stability and even fracture healing in smokers.

The role of single cell derived vascular resident endothelial progenitor cells in the enhancement of vascularization in scaffold-based skin regeneration.

Increasing evidence suggests that vascular resident endothelial progenitor cells (VR-EPCs) are present in several organs, playing an important role in postnatal neovascularization. Here, we isolated and characterized VR-EPCs from cardiac tissue in vitro, evaluating their regenerative potential in vivo. VR-EPCs showed to be highly clonogenic and expressed several stem and differentiation markers. Under endothelial differentiation conditions, cells form capillary-like structures, in contrast to osteogenic or adipogenic differentiation conditions where no functional changes were observed. After seeding in scaffolds, cells were distributed homogeneously and directly attached to the scaffold. Then, cell seeded scaffolds were used to induce dermal regeneration in a nude mice full skin defect model. The presence of VR-EPCs enhanced dermal vascularization. Histological assays showed increased vessel number (p < 0.05) and cellularization (p < 0.05) in VR-EPCs group. In order to explore possible mechanisms of vascular regeneration, in vitro experiments were performed. Results showed that pro-angiogenic environments increased the migration capacity (p < 0.001) and ability to form capillary-like structures (p < 0.05) of VR-EPC. In addition, VR-EPCs secreted several pro-angiogenic molecules including VEGF and PDGF. These results indicate that a highly clonogenic population of VR-EPCs might be established in vitro, representing a new source for therapeutic vascularization in tissue engineering and regeneration.