Department of General Pathology, 1st School of Medicine, II University of Naples, Complesso S, Andrea delle Dame, Via De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Curr Med Chem. 2010;17(27):3019-29. doi: 10.2174/092986710791959792.
The endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are angiogenic cells having properties similar to those of embryonal angioblasts. The number and function of EPCs are affected by a variety of conditions, including cytokines and chemokines, which are pivotal inflammatory signaling molecules. The purpose of this paper is to review current knowledge about the role of these progenitor in different vascular diseases, emphasizing the important biological role played from the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in the cellular trafficking. Indeed, as described in detail in this review, the CXCR4/CXCL12 interaction produces pleiotropic effects in stem cells and plays a pivotal role in several processes related to development, tissue regeneration and development/progression of malignancies.
内皮祖细胞（EPCs）是具有类似于胚胎成血管细胞特性的血管生成细胞。EPCs 的数量和功能受到多种条件的影响，包括细胞因子和趋化因子，它们是关键的炎症信号分子。本文的目的是综述这些前体细胞在不同血管疾病中的作用的最新知识，强调 CXCR4-CXCL12 轴在细胞迁移中发挥的重要生物学作用。事实上，正如本文详细描述的，CXCR4/CXCL12 相互作用在干细胞中产生多效性效应，并在与发育、组织再生和恶性肿瘤的发生/进展相关的几个过程中发挥关键作用。
