[The therapeutic potential of endothelial progenitor cells in ischaemic stroke].
OBJECTIVE
To review the present knowledge about endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), their relationship with stroke and their possible therapeutic potential.


METHODS
Activation of angiogenesis and vasculogenesis after cerebral ischemia is an attempt to recover damaged cerebral tissue. The role of EPCs in angiogenesis/vasculogenesis after brain ischemia remains unknown. Many studies have been published about the isolation, phenotyping and function of EPCs. However, there is not a unique definition for these cells; their origin and function are still an issue of controversy between different research groups. In this review, we summarize the currently used techniques and the most relevant publications about EPCs in experimental models of cerebral ischemia and their role in stroke.


CONCLUSIONS
The identification of EPCs in peripheral blood as hematopoietic cells with the ability to differentiate into endothelial cells, broke the paradigm that vasculogenesis was only an embryogenic process. However, better knowledge about the origin and function of EPCs in cerebral ischemia is required. Stimulation of these cells opens a wide new field of cell-based angiogenic therapy that could improve the current stroke treatment.
Navarro
M
M
Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
Rosell
A
A
Hernández-Guillamón
M
M
Cuadrado
E
E
Montaner
J
J
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000637:transplantation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins