Figure 1: Primary culture of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC). A representative colony of microvascular endothelial cells associated with anti-CD31 beads 24h after isolation (a), and after the fi rst passage (b). There were no cells not associated with CD31 beads that would represent contaminating cells. Images were obtained using an inverted phase contrast microscope (scale bar: 50 µm). Arrows show beads attached to cells.