冠心病患者内皮祖细胞数量及功能变化的研究进展

冠心病(CHD)是现代社会严重威胁人类健康的主要疾病之一，且病死率高。动脉粥样硬化（AS）是其病理基础。而内皮细胞的损伤与CHD的发生发展关系密切。血管内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cells，EPCs)作为内皮细胞的前体细胞，在组织缺血及血管损伤时动员入血，参与微血管的生成及血管内皮的修复，在冠心病发生及发展过程中起着非常重要的作用。已经证明EPCs数量下降及功能减退与CHD发病有密切关系,现将冠心病患者外周血内皮祖细胞数量及功能的变化情况做一详细阐述。

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.