Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are cells derived from the

endothelium The endothelium is a single layer of squamous endothelial cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels. The endothelium forms an interface between circulating blood or lymph in the lumen and the rest of the ve ...

veins Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated ...

from the

umbilical cord In placental mammals, the umbilical cord (also called the navel string, birth cord or ''funiculus umbilicalis'') is a conduit between the developing embryo or fetus and the placenta. During prenatal development, the umbilical cord is physiolog ...

. They are used as a laboratory model system for the study of the function and pathology of endothelial cells (e.g., angiogenesis). They are used due to their low cost, and simple techniques for isolating them from umbilical cords, which are normally resected after childbirth. HUVECs were first isolated and

cultured Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tylor ...

''in vitro'' in the 1970s by Jaffe and others. Jiménez, N., Krouwer, V. & Post, J. A new, rapid and reproducible method to obtain high quality endothelium in vitro. Cytotechnology 65, 1-14 (2012). HUVECs can be easily made to proliferate in a laboratory setting. Like human umbilical artery endothelial cells they exhibit a cobblestone phenotype when lining vessel walls. Inhibition of the

sirtuin Sirtuins are a family of signaling proteins involved in metabolic regulation. They are ancient in animal evolution and appear to possess a highly conserved structure throughout all kingdoms of life. Chemically, sirtuins are a class of proteins ...

protein sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in HUVECs has been shown to induce cellular senescence. Conversely, overexpression of SIRT1 in HUVECs has been shown to inhibit cellular senescence. The

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some o ...

quercetin Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor ...

has been found to be an effective senolytic for inducing the death of senescent HUVECs.

References

External links

* {{MeSH name, Human+Umbilical+Vein+Endothelial+Cells, 3 = Human umbilical vein endothelial cells , 2012
Understanding the Vasculature with the Help of HUVECs

Primary Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (Normal, Human)
at ATCC Human cell lines