Telocyte-Based Angiogenesis Potential in Tissue-Engineered Transplantation and Reconstructive Medicine Structures

Telocytes (TCs) are interstitial cells that were first identified in 2005 and formally named in 2010. Telocytes are cells that have a small cell body and long, thin appendages called telopods. TCs have been identified as critical interstitial cells for nursing or guiding stem cells and progenitor cells at niches. For this reason, researchers pay attention to them as new targets for regenerative medicine. The network of these cells provides the possibility of intercellular communication in the tissue and thus the organs. Telocytes not only provide mechanical backrest for stem cells and progenitor cells but also cause the increasing, differentiation, and movement of stem cells. It is shown that these cells are involved in the formation of blood vessels. Since one of the challenges of connective tissue engineering is the angiogenic potential of engineered products, we will review the results of studies on the potential of telocytes in angiogenesis in different organs.