Factors Affecting the Re-Endothelialization of Endothelial Progenitor Cell
Lin-Zhen Xia1, Jun Tao1, Yan-Jun Chen1
1Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Arteriosclerotic Disease, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Abstract:
The vascular endothelium, which plays an essential role in maintaining the normal shape and function of blood vessels, is a natural barrier between the circulating blood and the vascular wall tissue. The endothelial damage can cause vascular lesions, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. After the vascular intima injury, the body starts the endothelial repair (re-endothelialization) to inhibit the neointimal hyperplasia. Endothelial progenitor cell is the precursor of endothelial cells and plays an important role in the vascular re-endothelialization. However, re-endothelialization is inevitably affected in vivo and in vitro by factors, which can be divided into two types, namely, promotion and inhibition, and act on different links of the vascular re-endothelialization. This article reviews these factors and related mechanisms.
