Endothelial progenitor cells as therapeutic vectors in cardiovascular disorders: from experimental models to human trials.

Cell-based therapy approaches for the restoration of blood flow in ischemic organs has recently received growing interest. A considerable number of reports have documented the presence of circulating, bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in adult peripheral blood. These putative cells are thought to participate in postnatal growth of new blood vessels. Mounting evidence from animal studies point to potential therapeutic applications of EPCs in the treatment of a wide range of cardiovascular (CV) disorders, while preliminary results from the pilot clinical trials still remain equivocal. Here, we review the experimental data that has accumulated so far from animal and clinical studies regarding the potential importance of EPCs. In addition, we discuss the potential hurdles as well as future options of EPC-based therapy.