Research progress in number and functional changes of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) poses one of the most serious threats to human health with high mortality. Atherosclerosis is the pathological cause of CHD and the development of endothelial cell damage is closely related with CHD. As a precursor cell of endothelial cells, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a vital role in tissue ischemia in mobilizing the cells into blood to generate capillaries and to repair microvascular endothelium in the course of vascular injury or damage and in the process of occurrence and development of CHD. It has been proven that the decrease in the number of EPCs and their dysfunction have a close relationship with the incidence of CHD. This article will elaborate on the changes in the number and dysfunction of endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood in patients with coronary heart disease.