Contribution of endothelial progenitor cells to neovascularization (Review)

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a cell population mobilized from bone marrow into the peripheral circulation and recruited into sites of vessel injury to participate in blood vessel formation in both physiological and pathological conditions. Due to the lack of unique surface markers and different isolation methods, EPCs represent heterogeneous cell populations including cells of myeloid or endothelial origin. Evidence suggests that EPCs play a critical role in postnatal blood vessel formation and vascular homeostasis and provide a promising therapy for vascular disease. However, the mechanisms by which EPCs participate in new vessel formation are still incompletely understood. We review the process of EPCs in neovascularization including EPC mobilization, migration, adhesion and effect on new vessel formation, in an attempt to better understand the underlying mechanisms and to provide potential effective management for the treatment of patients with vascular disease.