Untitled

Abstract

The discovery of new target molecules and translational progress in the development and refinement of antithrombotic therapies as well as the improved treatment of bleeding disorders strongly relies on standardized ex vivo and in vivo models that closely resemble the respective human pathologies. The standardization of these models requires sound training in specialized hemostasis and thrombosis research laboratories as well as a consistent daily routine. In this theme issue of Hämostaseologie-Progress in Haemostasis, four review articles cover key models that have proven instrumental to gain mechanistic insights on thrombogenesis and hemostatic processes. In recent decades, these models have moved our field forward and enabled translation across scales, from cellbased research to isolated flow chamber systems, to mouse thrombosis models reflecting the pathologic situations as observed in patients, to large animal models.Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), a subset of endothelial progenitor cells, can be isolated from peripheral blood. Their close resemblance to mature endothelial cells regarding morphology, function, genetic, and even epigenetic features makes them excellent surrogates to study mature endothelial cells. In the first article of this theme issue, Nadine Schwarz and Hamideh Yadegari 1 present state-ofthe-art methodologies for the isolation and cultivation of ECFCs, followed by an overview of key studies in which ECFCs were utilized to elucidate the pathophysiology of hemostasis and thrombosis disorders, including von Willebrand disease, disorders of the protein C pathway, antiphospholipid syndrome, and sickle cell disease. Furthermore, they explore the potential of ECFCs for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.