VEGF receptor Flk-1 plays an important role in c-kit expression in adipose tissue derived stem cells.

It is known that c-kit(+) cells are increased in heart after infarction. The exact origins of the cardiac c-kit(+) cells remain to be determined. We asked whether adipose tissue could be a potential source of c-kit(+) cells. Our data show that the number of c-kit(+) cells increased in adipose tissue derived stem cells when cultured with conditioned medium from neonatal cardiomyocytes grown under serum deprivation and hypoxia condition. We also found that VEGF receptor Flk-1 is involved in c-kit up regulation via ERK-mediated pathway.