简介：Adultstem/progenitorcellsplayimportantrolesintissuehomeostasisandhaveimportantimplicationsforregenerativemedicine.Itwasoncethoughtthatformationofnewbloodvesselsinadultonlyoccursthroughangiogenesis,aprocesswherebynewvesselsareformedfromexistingmatureendothelialcells;whilevasculogenesis,wherenewvesselsarederivedfromdifferentiationofendothelialprogenitorcells(EPCs),wasthoughttooccurexclusivelyinembryos.ThediscoveryofadultEPCsafewyearsagohaschangedthisoldparadigm;andsubsequentstudiesshowedthatEPCsmaybeapromisingtoolforthetreatmentofvasculardisorders.However,therehavebeenconflictingreportsonsubtypes,surfacemarkers,andfunctionsofEPCs;andthustheexactoriginandidentityofEPCsremaintobedefined.AcommonapproachtoobtainEPCsistoisolateandculturemononuclearcellsfromperipheralbloodandtoselectadherentcellsfor