Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Feb 23:4:97-104.
doi: 10.2174/1874192401004020097.

Stem/Progenitor cells, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular regeneration

Olena Dotsenko  1
Affiliations

Stem/Progenitor cells, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular regeneration

Olena Dotsenko. Open Cardiovasc Med J. .

Abstract

Regenerative cell based therapy has potential to become effective adjuvant treatment for patients with atherosclerotic disease. Although data from animal studies support this notion, clinical studies undertaken in patients with acute and chronic coronary artery disease do not conclusively demonstrate benefits of such therapy. There are many questions on the stem cell translational roadmap. The basic mechanisms of stem cell-dependent tissue regeneration are not well understood. There is a debate regarding characterization of specific cell types conferring therapeutic effects. In particular, the role of endothelial progenitor cells as a specific reparative cell subtype is questioned, and the role of myeloid cell linage in fostering of vasculo- and angiogenesis is being increasingly appreciated. Intense discussions surround the place of stem/progenitor cells in atherosclerosis progression, plaque destabilization and vessel remodeling. This paper summarizes the current knowledge on the regenerative stem/progenitor cell definitions, mechanisms of stem cell trafficking, homing and their involvement in atherosclerosis progression.

Keywords: Stem cells; atherosclerosis; regenerative therapy..

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Schematic presentation of progenitor cells involvement in vessels regeneration and atherosclerosis progression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Seiler C. The human coronary collateral circulation. Heart. 2003;89:1352–7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barner HB. Operative treatment of coronary atherosclerosis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008;85:1473–82. - PubMed
    1. Rafii S, Lyden D. Therapeutic stem and progenitor cell transplantation for organ vascularization and regeneration. Nat Med. 2003;9:702–12. - PubMed
    1. Asahara T, Masuda H, Takahashi T, et al. Bone marrow origin of endothelial progenitor cells responsible for postanatal vasculogenesis in physiological and pathological neovascularization. Circ Res. 1999;85:221–8. - PubMed
    1. Bhattacharya V, McSweeney PA, Shi Q, et al. Enhanced endothelialization and microvessel formation in polyester grafts seeded with CD34+ bone marrow cells. Blood. 2000;95:581–5. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources