RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a method to obtain and identify human coronary artery endothelial cells obtained during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Coronary guide wires were used to obtain endothelial cells from coronary arteries in 28 patients undergoing PCI. The cells were eluted from the wire tips and then purified by magnetic beads coated with anti-CD146 antibody. von Willebrand factor (vWF) was used as an immunocytochemical marker for endothelial cells. The cellular viability was evaluated by observing cell membrane integrity and energy-dependent uptake of DiI-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An average of 96 coronary artery endothelial cells with good viability per patient were obtained by one guide wire. vWF identification showed their endothelial morphology and immunoreactivity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The viable coronary endothelial cells could be obtained during routine percutaneous coronary interventions combined with magnetic beads isolation technique. These cells may be used for further cellular functional analyses (such as immunocytochemistry and molecular biology) and expand our understanding on mechanisms of coronary artery diseases.</p>