Table 1.

Cellular markers for the phenotyping of endothelial cells.

Marker	Characteristic	Reference
CD 31 (PECAM-1)	Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule that localizes the endothelial cell intercellular junction, is involved in the migration of leukocytes, and plays a role in angiogenesis	[8,16]
VEGFR2 (CD309, FLk-1, KDF)	Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that triggers angiogenesis; networks initiated by VEGF-A/VEGFR2 leads to endothelial cell proliferation, migration, survival and new vessel formation involved in angiogenesis	[17]
VEGFR3	Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase; characteristic marker of lymphatic endothelial cells; VEGFR3 and its ligands (VEGF-C and VEGF-D) are involved in lymphangiogenesis and by forming complexes with VEGFR2 plays a role in angiogenesis	[18]
CD144 (VE-cadherin)	Endothelial specific adhesion molecule responsible for junction between cells, inhibition of VE-cadherin increases monolayer permeability and enhances neutrophil transendothelial migration	[9]
VWF	Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a glycoprotein released from Weibel–Palade bodies (WPB) of endothelial cells and is associated with blood clotting by stabilizing factor VIII	[19]
EphB4	Receptor tyrosine kinase, marker of adult venous ECs	[13]
Ephrin-B2	Transmembrane ligand for EphB4, marker of arterial endothelial cells	[13]
CD 54 (ICAM-1)	Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is involved in adhesion of immune cells during inflammation	[16]
CD106 (VCAM-1)	Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 is involved in adhesion of immune cells during inflammation	[16]
CD146 (MCAM)	Melanoma adhesion molecule facilitates cell-cell interaction and is involved in inflammation and angiogenesis	[20]
CD105 (Endoglin)	Receptor for transforming grow factor β (TGF-β) affects angiogenesis by regulating ECs proliferation; induces the anti-apoptotic pathway of ECs in hypoxia	[21]
CD62e (E-selectin)	Endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, glycoprotein from the family of selectin (E-selectin, L-selectin, and P-selectin), it is expressed in endothelial cells after stimulation by TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha), Il-1 (interleukin 1) or bacterial lipopolysaccharides, main player in early and specific adhesion of immune cells	[16]
Podoplanin	Membrane glycoprotein of podocytes, specific marker for lymphatic endothelial cells, plays a role in the regulation of lymphatic vascular formation and movement	[22]
LYVE-1	Membrane glycoprotein capable of binding to hyaluronic acid, marker of lymphatic endothelial cells	[12]
CD44	Cell surface adhesion receptor, is a marker of late endothelial progenitor (EPC) cells plays a role in ECs’ regeneration	[23]
CD34	Glycoprotein first identified on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells but it is also present in most micro-vessels in the umbilical artery but not in the endothelium of large vessels	[24]
CD133 (Prominin-1)	Tissue-specific stem cell marker, characteristic for EPCs	[10]
CD202b (Tie-2)	Hematopoietic stem cells marker also present in EPCs, receptor for Ang-1 and Ang-2	[25]