中文摘要：

内皮祖细胞（ Endothelial Progenitor Cells, EPCs）是血管内皮细胞的前体细胞，即能分化为成熟血管内皮细胞的祖细胞。随着对EPCs功能和影响其分化、生存、归巢和组织分布因素的了解，EPCs作为临床诊断、预后判断和治疗方法将有广阔的前景。本文就EPCs的的来源，EPCs的分离、培养、鉴定，EPCs的表面标志，EPCs的动员、分化和归巢等生物学特性及其进展展开综述。

英文摘要：

Endothelial progenitor cells （EPCs） are precursors of endothelial cells, which are able to differentiate into mature endothelial Cells. Studies are needed to increase more detailed understanding on the mechanisms of EPCs differentiation, survival, homing and distribution of the tissue. The human EPCs has potential to be used as diagnostic and prognostic or therapeutic tools in the future. This paper reviewed the biological characteristics and its advancement of EPCs, which including separation, culture and identification, surface marker, mobilization, differentiation and homing.