BackgroundAfterpercutaneouscoronaryintervention(PCI),somepatientsmaysufferfromrestenosisandstentthrombosis.Manystudiessuggestthatendothelialprogenitorcell(EPC)hasanimportantroleinpreventingrestenosisandstentthrombosis.AnovelstentwhichcanattractEPChasbeendesignedtoprovideabetteroutcomefortheseproblems.MethodThedataofthepresentreviewwasobtainedbysearchingPUBMEDandotherdatabases(1994-2011)usingthekeytermsof'endothelialprogenitorcell','reendothelialization','restenosis','stentthrombosis',and'percutaneouscoronaryintervention'.ResultRapidreendothelializationisessentialinpreventingrestenosisandstentthrombosis.EPCcandifferentiateintoendothelialcellandacceleratethereendothelialization.Afternumerouspreclinicalandclinicalresearches,thecorrelationbetweencirculatingEPCstorestenosisstillremainspoorlyunderstood.However,manystudieshaveshowntheimportantroleofEPCindiminishingtheriskofthrombosisfollowingstentimplantation.Somepharmacologicalagentshavebeenreportedcanincreasethenumberand/orfunctionsofEPC.Recently,CD34+antibodycoatedstenthasbeendevelopedtoattractEPCtothehealingendothelium,andhasshowedfavorableresults.ConclusionEPChasimportantroleinrapidreendothelializationaftervascularinjury.EPCcanpreventstentthrombosisafterPCI,howevertheeffectsofEPCinpreventingrestenosisneedfurtherinvestigations.ThecapturingCD34+stentissafeandsignificantlydecreasesstentthrombosis.
