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Nature Medicine 7, 996 - 997 (2001)
doi:10.1038/nm0901-996b

Nimble progenitors rescue vascular grafts

David Mooney1

  1. Depts. of Biologic & Materials Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
    e-mail: mooneyd@umich.edu


A new study shows that endothelial progenitor cells obtained from peripheral blood provide a suitable cell source for lining vascular grafts. This finding promises both short- and long-term medical advances in the cardiovascular and other medical arenas. (pages 1035–1040)


In spite of significant preventive measures and therapeutic advances, cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States and is estimated to cost the US economy over $300 billion per year. Blood vessels with compromised function range in size from large arteries that can be replaced with synthetic grafts, to beds of small capillaries that may be treated with molecular-level therapies (for example, growth factor delivery).

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RESEARCH
Functional small-diameter neovessels created using endothelial progenitor cells expanded ex vivo
Nature Medicine Article (01 Sep 2001)