Characterization of CD14⁺/VEGFR-2⁺ and CD14⁺/VEGFR-2^- cells. (A) Flow cytometry sorting of CD14⁺/VEGFR-2⁺ and CD14⁺/VEGFR-2^- from PBMCs depleted of T lymphocytes. (B) CD14⁺/VEGFR-2^- cells did not express e-NOS. (C) CD14⁺/VEGFR-2⁺ cells expressed several endothelial-specific markers such as e-NOS (black), VWF (red), and thrombomodulin (red), and some cells expressed CD133 (red) but not CD144. Cells were counterstained with hematoxylin. Magnification, 40 ×. (D) Western blotting of the lysates from CD14⁺/VEGFR-2⁺ cells with antibodies to VEGFR-2 gave the expected bands of approximately 200 kDa (lanes 1-2), whereas CD14⁺/VEGFR-2^- cells (lane 3) and the control secondary antibody did not (lane 4). (E) mRNA expression for e-NOS was detected strongly in CD14⁺/VEGFR-2⁺ cells and weakly in CD14⁺/VEGFR-2^- cells. N indicates nucleus.