Concise Review: Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Regenerative Medicine: Applications and Challenges

Abstract

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are currently being studied as candidate cell sources for revascu- larization strategies. Significant advances have been made in understanding the biology of EPCs, and preclinical studies have demonstrated the vasculogenic, angiogenic, and beneficial paracrine effects of transplanted EPCs in the treatment of ischemic diseases. Despite these promising results, wide- spread clinical acceptance of EPCs for clinical therapies remains hampered by several challenges. The present study provides a concise summary of the different EPC populations being studied for is- chemic therapies and their known roles in the healing of ischemic tissues. The challenges and issues surrounding the use of EPCs and the current strategies being developed to improve the harvest effi- ciency and functionality of EPCs for application in regenerative medicine are discussed.