A study of the origins of macrophages in healthy and atherosclerotic vasculature focusing on a novel population of resident adventitial macrophage progenitor cells (AMPCs)

白细胞(巨噬细胞)在动脉粥样硬化的发展中起着关键作用，动脉粥样硬化是大多数心脏病发作和中风的根本原因。我们有了新的发现，表明存在于血管外层的巨噬细胞的干细胞(祖细胞)。该项目将研究这些被称为AMPC的局部祖细胞是否是动脉粥样硬化中巨噬细胞的来源，进而可能导致心血管疾病的新治疗方法。

White blood cells (macrophages) play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of most heart attacks and strokes. We have made new discoveries to show that there are stem (progenitor) cells for macrophages that exist within the outer lining of blood vessels. This project will study whether these local progenitor cells, called AMPCs, are a source of macrophages in atherosclerosis and in turn could lead to new treatment approaches for cardiovascular disease.