Two endothelial cell lines derived from the somite

Somites are sequentially formed, metameric units of the paraxial mesoderm of vertebrate embryos. They are the most obvious correlative of the segmental patterning along the cranio-caudal axis and transfer segmentation to other tissues such as the spinal nerves and dorsal aortic branches. Furthermore, somites are the source of numerous mesodermal cell types such as smooth and striated muscle, cartilage and tendon cells, and soft connective tissue. They also give rise to endothelial cells. Here we focus on the finding that two lineages of endothelial cells, blood vascular endothelial cells and lymphatic endothelial cells are derived from the somite. Their precursors, angioblasts, and lymphangioblasts, respectively, are born in the somite at different time points. Angioblasts are characterized by the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, whereas lymphangioblasts express the homeobox transcription factor Prox1. There seem to be two types of lymphangioblasts. Type 1 is derived from venous endothelium, while type 2 originates from mesenchymal precursor cells. The molecular networks of angioblast and lymphangioblast development and the relation between the two cell types and hematopoietic cells are discussed.