New vessels after stroke: postischemic neovascularization and regeneration.

The formation of new blood vessels after acute ischemic stroke is one of the most promising approaches to future therapies in the emerging field of stroke medicine. Angiogenesis and postnatal vasculogenesis are the underlying mechanisms of the formation of new blood vessels. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are thought to play an important role in neovascularization and during the regenerative processes after a vascular injury as well as in the maintenance of endothelial integrity. This review summarizes possible mechanisms of angiogenesis, postischemic neovascularization and regeneration with a focus on the potential role of EPCs as a risk marker and as a therapeutic target in stroke medicine.