Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) – clinical implications

Effects of physical activity on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)

Physical activity has a therapeutic role in cardiovascular disease (CVD), through its beneficial effects on endothelial function and cardiovascular system. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow (BM) derived cells that represent a novel therapeutic target in CVD patients, because of their ability to home to sites of ischemic injury and repair the damaged vessels. Severa...

Maturing EPCs into endothelial cells: may the force be with the EPCs: focus on "Fluid shear stress induces differentiation of circulating phenotype endothelial progenitor cells".

Randall F. Ankeny,* Casey J. Ankeny,* Robert M. Nerem, and Hanjoong Jo Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Bio-inspired Science, Ewh...

Pathways Mediating the Interaction between Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) and Platelets

INTRODUCTION Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have an important role in the process of vascular injury repair. Platelets have been shown to mediate EPC recruitment, maturation and differentiation. Yet, the mechanism underlying this interaction is unclear. We, therefore, aimed to examine whether direct contact between platelets and EPCs is essential for the positive platelets-EPC effect, and ...

Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) as Gene Carrier System for Rat Model of Human Glioma

BACKGROUND Due to their unique property to migrate to pathological lesions, stem cells are used as a delivery vehicle for therapeutic genes to tumors, especially for glioma. It is critically important to track the movement, localization, engraftment efficiency and functional capability or expression of transgenes of selected cell populations following transplantation. The purposes of this study...

Endothelial Progenitor Cell Dysfunction in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Implications for The Genesis of Cardiovascular Diseases