【摘要】内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cells，EPCs)是1类具有高增殖潜能的前体细胞，代表1类多起源和表型不同的可分化成内皮细胞的非均质细胞群。自1997年Asahara首次发现外周血中存在着能分化为内皮细胞的前体细胞，并将其命名内皮祖细胞后，有关EPCs修复损伤内皮以及其他临床应用的研究越来越受到关注。本文主要综述了内皮祖细胞的生物学特性以及在慢性肾脏疾病心血管疾病发生中的研究进展，以便为慢性肾脏疾病患者心血管疾病的防治提供新的理论视角。

【Abstract】 Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a group of cells with highly proliferative potentials, containing heterogeneous cell populations from different origins and with various phenotypes, and possessing the capability to differentiate into endothelial cells. In 1997, Asahara et al. first demonstrated the existence of endothelial progenitor cells in circulation. This finding has acquired considerable concerns due to the potentials of EPCs for management of injured endothelia and other clinical situations. This review summarizes the biological properties of EPCs and the advances in the roles of EPCs in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, in an attempt to provide new theories useful for preventing cardiovascular disease in CKD patients.