Cell Specification
Endothelial cells lining the microvasculature are known to play a critical "gatekeeper" role in the inflammatory process through their ability to recruit circulating immune cells into tissues and foci of inflammation. Endothelial activation in response to cytokines and bacterial products results in cell adhesion molecule expression and chemokine production, which mediate increased binding and transmigration of leukocytes across the vascular wall. Studies show that intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (IMEC) exhibit a strong immune response to LPS challenge and play a critical regulatory role in gut inflammation [1]. Pharmacological inhibition of NOS in activated HIMEC resulted in a significant increase in leukocytes binding [2]. Gene expression profile study reveals that intestinal endothelial cells express biotinidase, which is involved in biotin recycling [3]. The in vitro culture of HIMEC enabled scientists to perform systematic analyses of the cytokine profiles with regard to mRNA expression and protein secretion, and to compare such data with cytokine profiles concomitantly displayed by other endothelial cells.

HIMEC from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from human intestinal tissue. HIMEC are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 10⁵ cells in 1 ml volume. HIMEC are characterized by immunofluorescent method with antibodies to vWF/Factor VIII and CD31 (P-CAM) and by uptake of DiI-Ac-LDL. HIMEC are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HIMEC are guaranteed to further culture in the conditions provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories.

Recommended Medium
It is recommended to use Endothelial Cell Medium (ECM, Cat. No. 1001) for the culturing of HIMEC in vitro.

Product Use
HIMEC are for research use only. It is not approved for human or animal use, or for application in in vitro diagnostic procedures.

Storage
Directly and immediately transfer cells from dry ice to liquid nitrogen upon receiving and keep the cells in liquid nitrogen until cell culture needed for experiments.

Shipping
Dry ice.

Reference
[1]. Ogawa, H., Rafiee, P., Heidemann, J., Fisher, P. J., Johnson, N. A., Otterson, M. F., Kalyanaraman, B., Pritchard, K. A. Jr., Binion, D. G. (2003) Mechanisms of endotoxin tolerance in human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells. J Immunol. 170(12):5956-64.
[2]. Binion, D. G., Fu, S., Ramanujam, K. S., Chai, Y. C., Dweik, R. A., Drazba, J. A., Wade, J. G., Ziats, N. P., Erzurum, S. C. and Wilson, K. T. (1998) iNOS xpression in human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells inhibits leukocyte adhesion. Am. J. Physiol. 275:G592-603.
[3]. Chi, J-T, Chang, H. Y., Haraldsen, G., Jahnsen, F. L., Troyanskaya, O. G., Chang, D. S., Wang, Z., Rockson, S. G., van de Rijn, M., Botstein, D. and Brown, P. O. (2003) Endothelial cell diversity revealed by global expression profiling. PNAS 100(19):10623-10628.