Shantsila Eduard, Watson Timothy, Lip Gregory Y H
Haemostasis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, England.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007 Feb 20;49(7):741-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2006.09.050.
The important role of the vascular endothelium in cardiovascular health is increasingly recognized. However, mature endothelial cells possess limited regenerative capacity. There is therefore much interest in circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) among the scientific community, especially into their purported role in maintenance of endothelial integrity and function, as well as postnatal neovascularization. It has been suggested that these cells might not only be responsible for the continuous recovery of the endothelium after injury/damage, but also might take part in angiogenesis, giving the hope of new treatment opportunities. Indeed, there is accumulating evidence showing reduced availability and impaired EPC function in the presence of both cardiovascular disease and associated comorbid risk factors. Thus, many studies into the potential for use of EPCs in the clinical setting are being undertaken. The goal of this review article is to provide an overview of data relevant to the clinical role of EPCs and perspectives for treatment of cardiovascular disorders.
血管内皮在心血管健康中的重要作用日益得到认可。然而，成熟的内皮细胞再生能力有限。因此，科学界对循环内皮祖细胞（EPCs）非常感兴趣，尤其是它们在维持内皮完整性和功能以及出生后新血管形成中所声称的作用。有人提出，这些细胞不仅可能负责损伤/损害后内皮的持续恢复，还可能参与血管生成，带来新的治疗机会。事实上，越来越多的证据表明，在存在心血管疾病和相关合并症风险因素的情况下，EPCs的可用性降低且功能受损。因此，许多关于EPCs在临床环境中潜在用途的研究正在进行。这篇综述文章的目的是概述与EPCs临床作用相关的数据以及心血管疾病治疗的前景。
