| It is thought that atherosclerosis (As) and coronary artery disease (CAD) begins with damage to the inner lining of the artery (the endothelium). The endothelium is primarily composed of a layer of metabolically active cells known as endothelial cells that lines the lumen of all blood vessels. The vascular endothelium serves as a barrier to the trans-vascular diffusion of liquids and solutes, also plays a critical role in physiological and pathological processes, such as vascular relaxation and contraction, regulation of platelet adhesion reaction, thrombogenesis, vascular smooth muscle cell growth and proliferation. So, understanding how the vascular endothelium repairs itself and promoting the repair process of endothelium is important in decreasing vascular disease and improving responses to treatment.Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a subset of "stem cells" originated in the bone marrow and then circulate in the blood vessels. Release of EPCs from the marrow occurs in response to chemokines produced as a result of remote injury. The scientific evidence in recent years suggests that EPCs participate in postnatal vasculogenesis, and have a ability to mobilize sites of vascular lesions and differentiate to endothelial cells, thereby contributing to continuously repair damage to the arterial lining and maintenance of the endothelial cell layers. A large number of evidence supports a clear link between inactivity of EPCs in the circulation and cumulative cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol levels, and aged in the development of As. However, to what extent circulating EPCs, the severity of atherosclerotic lesions play a role in vascular changes occurring in patients with CAD and their relationship remains undetermined. The aim of the current study is to investigate the correlation among the number and function of circulating EPCs, vascular relaxation and contraction of peripheral artery, the prevalence of atherosclerosis...
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