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Introduction: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were first described in 1997 and have since represented a promising source for use in in cell-based therapy. Although preliminary work has already been performed on animal models and even human studies, the true clinical potential of EPCs is limited as multiple definitions and methods for isolation of EPCs exist. We hypothesize that current isolation techniques result in phenotypically distinct cell populations and inter-population heterogeneity.Methods: EPCs were isolated from human peripheral blood by the two most widely utilized techniques. Primary cells were prospectively isolated using flow cytometry and the cell surface markers CD34, CD31, and AC133. EPCs were also isolated by plating mononuclear cells on fibronectin-coated plates and selecting for adherent cells after 7 days in culture. Gene expression of single EPCs was then quantified utilizing microfluidics technology. Cells were clustered into subpopulations based on similar gene expression patterns.

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