title: [Relationship between aging and the number and function of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between aging and the number and function of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The number and function of bone marrow-derived EPC were measured in 4, 10 and 18 months old rats (n = 10 in each group). Mononuclear cells (MNC) were isolated from rat bone marrow by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation and cultured for 7 days, EPC were identified as adherent cells double positive stained for FITC-UEA-I and DiI-acLDL under laser confocal immunofluence microscopy. Boyden chamber was used to determine the migration capacity of EPC and the number of recultured EPC was counted to test the adherent function of EPC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number (42.0 +/- 5.8 vs 30.8 +/- 4.7 vs 21.5 +/- 4.7 per field) and the migration and adhesion capacities of EPC were significantly reduced with aging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that the number and function of EPC are decreased with aging.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center of PLA, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.
authors.forename: Jian-fei
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Xiao-jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley