Blood vessel engineering - growth and morphogenesis of endothelial cell patterns

Endogenous morphogens and other chemical effectors ("wound hormones") are essential for any type of regenerative process in tissue (wound healing, tumor growth, reproductive cycles, developmental biology). They represent natural tools for an approach to chemical engineering of bioactive organoid structures from single cells. Blood vessel (angio-) morphogens (angiotropins) derived from activated monocytes (macrophages) in culture and in tissue (heart muscle) were characterized in structure and function after (greater than 100 000-fold) purification to homogeneity. They represent copper-containing metallo-ribonucleo-polypeptides (extracellular Cu-RNPs) with modified bases (e.g. isoguanine) in the RNA portion (75 bases). Selective bioactivity is expressed in fmols on endothelial cells in vivo and in vitro to form organoid (capillary) structures by cellular tropism with leaky tips of selective permeability in nascent vascular sprouts in transition. The results point on a pivotal role of RN A in extracelluar RNP messengers (ribokines) organizing cells to bioactive organoid structures.