An immunophenotypic analysis to correlate cell morphology and EC marker expression.

The most relevant EC markers are vWf and VE-cadherin. vWf is also expressed by megakaryocytes and subsequently stored in platelets, but such cells are much smaller and devoid of nuclei. VE-cadherin is involved in EC adherent junctions and requires interaction between ECs to be stabilized at the plasma membrane. CD31 may be expressed by other cells. In both cases (intima and adventitial cells), the small polygonal cells are vWf-, CD31- and VE-cadherin-positive. The giant cells are most of the time vWf- and/or CD31- or VE-cadherin-positive. On the other hand, the elongated cells are rarely vWf-positive [22].An immunophenotypic analysis to correlate cell morphology and EC marker expression.