Events

GIS Invited Speakers Series

Vascular Progenitor Cells in Cardiovascular and Renal Disease

Guest Speaker	:	Dr. Marianne Verhaar Developmental Epigenetics Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht
Host	:	Asst. Prof. Paul Robson
Date	:	29 September 2006, Friday
Time	:	4:00pm - 5:00pm
Venue	:	Aspiration Theatrette, Level 4 Matrix Building, Biopolis

Abstract

Endothelial injury and dysfunction are important initiators of atherosclerosis. Thus, regeneration and repair of the endothelium are crucial processes. The discovery that peripheral blood contains bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) that participate in neovascularization (=vasculogenesis), may lead to new cardiovascular therapies. Strategies to promote vasculogenesis in ischemic tissue seem promising. However, vascular events often occur in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, and endothelial dysfunction. In these patients, beside endothelial dysfunction, EPC-dysfunction is present which may hamper the clinical applicability of current strategies for therapeutic vasculogenesis. Furthermore, differentiation of bone marrow progenitors towards cells with a vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype (vascular smooth muscle progenitors cells = SPC) may occur which may lead to adverse effects of therapeutic vasculogenesis. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of vascular progenitor cell dysfunction will contribute to the development of better progenitor cell based therapies for cardiovascular disease.