Review
Endothelial progenitor cells: what use for the cardiologist?
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* Corresponding author: Gregory YH Lip g.y.h.lip@bham.ac.uk
- † Equal contributors
1 Haemostasis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK
2 Department of Cardiology, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK
Journal of Angiogenesis Research 2010, 2:6 doi:10.1186/2040-2384-2-6
Published: 22 February 2010Abstract
Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPC) were first described in 1997 and have since been the subject of numerous investigative studies exploring the potential of these cells in the process of cardiovascular damage and repair. Whilst their exact definition and mechanism of action remains unclear, they are directly influenced by different cardiovascular risk factors and have a definite role to play in defining cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, EPCs may have important therapeutic implications and further understanding of their pathophysiology has enabled us to explore new possibilities in the management of cardiovascular disease. This review article aims to provide an overview of the vast literature on EPCs in relation to clinical cardiology.