Accumulation of Multipotent Progenitor Cells on Polymethylpentene Membranes During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Abstract Multipotent progenitor cells were mobilized during pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO ). We hypothesize that these cells also adhered onto polymethylpentene ( PMP ) fibers within the membrane oxygenator ( MO ) during adult ECMO support. Mononuclear cells were removed from the surface of explanted PMP ‐ MOs ( n  = 16). Endothelial‐like outgrowth and mesenchymal‐like cells were characterized by flow cytometric analysis using different surface markers. Spindle‐shaped attaching cells were identified early, but without proliferative activity. After long‐term cultivation palisading type or cobblestone‐type outgrowth cells with high proliferative activity appeared and were characterized as (i) leukocytoid CD 45+/ CD 31+ ( CD 133+/ VEGFR‐II +/ CD 90+/ CD 14+/ CD 146dim/ CD 105dim); (ii) endothelial‐like CD 45−/ CD 31+ ( VEGF‐RII +/ CD 146+/ CD 105+/ CD 133−/ CD 14−/ CD 90−); and (iii) mesenchymal‐like cells CD 45−/ CD 31− ( CD 105+/ CD 90+/ CD 133dim/ VEGFR‐II −/ CD 146−/ CD 14−). The distribution of the cell populations depended on the MO and cultivation time. Endothelial‐like cells formed capillary‐like structures and did uptake D il‐acetylated low‐density lipoprotein. Endothelial‐ and mesenchymal‐like cells adhered on the surface of PMP ‐ MOs . Further research is needed to identify the clinical relevance of these cells.