Assaying Barrier Function Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

iCell® Endothelial Cells, derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, exhibit morphological, biochemical, and pathophysiological characteristics of a native human endothelium. These attributes make iCell Endothelial Cells an optimal in vitro test system for vascular biology interrogations in life science research and drug development. Endothelial cells are involved in many aspects of vascular biology including the formation of a selective barrier between the blood and surrounding tissue. Dysregulation of this barrier function is a hallmark for numerous disease processes, such as atherosclerosis, inflammation, and tumor cell metastasis. This application note demonstrates how iCell Endothelial Cells were used to investigate cell-cell interaction and changes in electrical impedance across the cell monolayer after treatment with thrombin.