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Multiple roles of CD34⁺ cell heterogeneity in cardiovascular injury and repair
Received date: 2025-07-31
Accepted date: 2025-11-11
Online published: 2025-12-19
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(82500515);China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2024M753684);Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(2025JJ60777)
Cardiovascular injury and repair rely on the coordinated recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation of multiple cell types. As a heterogeneous cell population defined by the cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) protein, CD34+ cells have long been regarded as key targets for cardiovascular regeneration and repair. These cells exhibit pronounced heterogeneity and pluripotent differentiation potential. Under the regulation of specific microenvironmental signals, they can differentiate into multiple lineages, such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells, thereby contributing to endothelial repair, tissue fibrosis, and immune modulation. In cardiovascular disease, CD34+ cells exert dual effects: they may facilitate tissue repair and regeneration while also potentially exacerbating pathological injury. Although CD34+ cell therapies have shown therapeutic promise in cardiovascular diseases, their clinical translation still faces numerous challenges and bottlenecks. Here, current evidence on the sources, differentiation trajectories, and functional heterogeneity of CD34+ cells is synthesized, and recent advances spanning basic research and clinical translation are summarized, with the aim of refining mechanistic understanding and informing the development of precise therapeutic strategies.
QIN Zihao , YUAN Hong , LU Yao , LENG Yiming . Multiple roles of CD34⁺ cell heterogeneity in cardiovascular injury and repair[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science), 2025 , 45(12) : 1662 -1670 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2025.12.012
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