Title:Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells Biology and Regenerative Medicine in Pulmonary Vascular Diseases
Volume: 19
Issue: 9
Author(s): Germano Guerra, Fabio Perrotta*Gianluca Testa
Affiliation:
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences ,Italy
Keywords:
Endothelial progenitor cells, pulmonary vascular diseases, pulmonary hypertension, regenerative medicine.
Abstract: Pulmonary vascular disorders (PVDs) include primary or secondary diseases who ultimately
influence the right heart function. Several researches showed that stem and progenitor cells may represent
a novel approach in treating pulmonary hypertension. In particular, circulating endothelial progenitor
cells (EPCs) are mobilized either from the bone marrow and/or arteries to replace dysfunctional
endothelial cells and restore blood perfusion to ischemic tissues. They may deliver paracrine signals to
stimulate local angiogenesis or may be physically incorporated within neovessels. Understanding the
molecular mechanisms utilized by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to stimulate EPC might
shed light on novel targets for regenerative medicine. Ca2+ machinery regulates proliferation, migration,
tube formation, and, therefore, differentiation of EPCs may give valuable insights into the biology
of these cells; the Ca2+ machinery in these cells is extremely plastic and may vary depending on their
origin. In this paper, we review EPCs subtypes, their sources, biological properties, functional mechanisms
and of course involvement in pulmonary vascular diseases.
