[Perspectives of regenerative mechanisms in cardiovascular disease spotlighting endothelial progenitor cells].

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the Western world. In general, the underlying disease is atherosclerosis, which is hallmarked by deterioration of the endothelial monolayer. Restoration of an intact endothelial monolayer for prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases is one key concept of regenerative medicine. This article offers a review of state-of-the-art regenerative mechanisms in cardiovascular disease spotlighting endothelial progenitor cells, and further features the perspectives of regenerative medicine in vascular biology.