Endothelial progenitor cells in cardiovascular diseases

Endothelial dysfunction has been associated with the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Adult endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs) are derived from hematopoietic stem cells and are capable of forming new blood vessels through a process of vas-culogenesis. There are studies which report correlations between circulating EPCs and cardiovascular risk fac-tors. There are also studies on how pharmacotherapies may influence levels of circulating EPCs. In this review, we discuss the potential role of endothelial progenitor cells as both diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In addition, we look at the interaction between cardio-vascular pharmacotherapies and endothelial progenitor cells. We also discuss how EPCs can be used directly and indirectly as a therapeutic agent. Finally, we evalu-ate the challenges facing EPC research and how these may be overcome.