DA-endothelial cells (DA-ECs) were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).23 (link) DA tissues from ≈30 rat fetuses on gestational day 21 were subjected to FACS to obtain one sample. We obtained 6 samples for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Dispersed cells by collagenase enzyme mixture were subjected to FACS analysis. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)–conjugated anti-CD31 antibody (Abcam, Cambridge, United Kingdom) and APC/Cy7–conjugated anti-CD45 antibody (BioLegend, San Diego, MA) were used as cell surface markers for ECs and hematopoietic derivation cells, respectively. CD31+/CD45 and CD31/CD45 were defined as DA-ECs and DA-non-ECs. This analysis was conducted using BD FACS AriaII (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA).