Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The involvement of the cardiovascular system appears to be an important factor for the outcome of many rheumatic diseases.Vasculogenesis, which is defined as the de novo formation of new blood vessels by endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), plays a crucial role for the maintenance of the cardiovascular system.EPCs have turned out to be key-players of cardiovascular disease.Impaired vasculogenesis with reduced counts or altered function of EPCs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several rheumatic disorders including systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE), and vasculitides.Moreover, EPCs may represent novel biomarkers of vascular involvement and cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatic disorders.EPCs might also offer therapeutic potential by direct stimulation of vessel growth or as transport vehicles for drugs to activated endothelia and hypoxic tissues.In this review, we discuss the physiologic functions of EPCs, and highlight the emerging role of EPCs in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Distler et al. (2009) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: