What are endothelial progenitor cells?

endothelial progenitor cells are produced in the bone marrow and pass through the bloodstream. They repair damage caused by lining of blood vessels and heart after the deceased tissue. Progenitor cells are a type of stem cells that can be distinguished into several closely related cell types. The amount of these cells circulating in the bloodstream can help indicate how quickly a person recovers from a heart attack or stroke. Endothelial progenitor cells may also have the ability to start building new blood vessels in areas where the blood vessels have been damaged outside the repair.

is a specialized type of epithelium or skin tissue that lines the entire circulatory system; It helps to flow through blood smoothly by providing a smooth surface and preventing clotting on the walls of the blood vessels. Endothelial progenitor cells are present in low numbers in low numbers, but increase in response to stress damage on the endothelium. During the heart or stroke, some tissues of the body become ischemic, which meansthat they have no blood flow and the cells begin to die. Endothelial progenitor cells then travel to these damaged areas before they finally distinguish between mature endothelial cells and replace dead cells.

endothelial progenitor cells are called pluripotent stem cells rather than totipotent, unlike stem cells that are most often discussed. This means that they can become several different types of cells - plural - but not all cell types - overall potential. In adults, they work similarly to angioblasts that are responsible for the formation of blood vessels in embryos, although they can be less adaptable.

Some studies have shown that patients with a stroke with multiple endothelial progenitor cells had a better chance to avoid repeated infarctions. There are also tests that will find a promotional result is the use of these cells in the treatment of diseasesperipheral arteries. Because the level of these cells increases when damage is present, doctors can also analyze the number of these cells to determine the risk of heart disease in the patient.

Early studies have found that these cells do not form a lining of newly formed blood vessels in adults. Newer studies have shown evidence that endothelial progenitor cells are important for tumor development and allow to metastasize tumor cells or travel to other areas of the body. These studies have found that these cells actually occur in the blood vessels of tumors. They also found that tumors grow more slowly when endothelial progenitor cells are removed from the bone marrow before they can be released into the bloodstream.