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THURSDAY, July 17, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- The age-related loss of stem cells that repair blood vessel damage prevents artery repair and leads to atherosclerosis.
So says a Duke University Medical Center study that appears in this week's issue of Circulation.
The study, based on experiments with mice, found aging results in the failure of bone marrow to produce stem cells that can rejuvenate arteries exposed to smoking or high-calorie intake.
The loss of these cells is critical to determining the onset and progression of atherosclerosis, a condition that causes arteries to clog and lose their elasticity. When atherosclerosis affects arteries supplying the heart with oxygen and nutrients, it causes coronary artery disease, which increase the risk of heart attack.
The findings offer a potential new avenue of treatment for atherosclerosis, one of the leading causes of death and illness in the United States.
The study authors also suggest this loss of stem cells may be associated with a number of other age-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and chronic liver disease.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about atherosclerosis.
