title: [Endothelial progenitor cells: the new target of anti-atherosclerosis drugs].
abstract: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a kind of progenitor cells with high potential of proliferation, which exist in the bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and peripheral blood. Under certain conditions, EPCs can differentiate into mature vascular endothelial cells. Many studies have shown that EPCs could delay the onset and development of atherosclerosis by promoting the repair of the endothelium and neovascularization. EPCs have also been considered to be a biological marker for cardiovascular diseases. Recent investigations demonstrate that EPCs can mediate the effect of some anti-atherosclerosis drugs. This paper reviews the role of EPCs in atherosclerosis and the influence of drugs on EPC function. The feasibility and the problem of using EPCs as a treatment strategy are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Bikui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Panpan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Huande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sujie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology