6533b837fe1ef96bd12a266a

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Endothelial Progenitor Cells: A Real Hope or an Unrealizable Dream? Which Measures or Strategies Are Necessary for making EPCs a clinical reality? Focus on a Potential Roadmap

subject

description

It is the time to re-examine with new eyes the findings obtained to date on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), in order to eliminate the limitations and to shed light on such findings. This revision might be of help for reordering them and consequently to create a clear puzzle. This last might provide evidence relating to important aspects, including defining, isolating and characterizing EPCs by establishing standardized criteria for EPC research; discriminating between appropriate sub-populations for cell therapy; timing; dosing; priming of cells; and the delivery mode for different applications. Furthermore, influencing factors might also be identified, with the aim of focusing resources and efforts; and the problems associated with local retention and fate of cells in the therapeutic target zone might be resolved. Finally, in order to enable the efficacy of cell therapy at all levels, cell priming, bio-nanotechnology and tissue engineering might be used as emerging tools, and, in particular, their use in combination might be very advantageous.