Developing tissue engineering approaches to generate functional vascular networks is
important for improving treatments of peripheral and cardiovascular disease. Endothelial
colony forming cells (ECFCs) are an endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) population defined by
high proliferative potential and an ability to vascularize collagen-based matrices in vivo.
Little is known regarding how physical properties of the local cell microenvironment guide
vessel formation following EPC transplantation. In vitro evidence suggests that collagen …