Fig. 1.

Reprogramming strategies for endothelial generation from other types of somatic cells. Somatic cells can be reprogrammed towards the endothelial lineage with or without passing through a pluripotent state. (A) Ectopic overexpression of endothelial-specific transcription factors with endothelial-inductive conditions can directly reprogram somatic cells into ECs. (B) Using iPS-generating pluripotency transcription factors for a short term can switch the differentiated somatic cells to a intermediate plastic state. Then the partially reprogrammed cells can be further differentiated towards ECs. (C) Somatic cells can also be fully reprogrammed into iPS cells and then be stimulated into the endothelial fate.