Figure 2.

ASC autocrine and paracrine signaling. ASCs secrete many significant autocrine and paracrine proteins, such as soluble growth factors (bFGF, VEGF), microvesicles enriched with miRNAs (miRNA-31, miRNA-126, miRNA-125a) and immunomodulatory molecules that influence immediate blood capillary environment and induce ASC differentiation into multiple cell lineages. These pro-angiogeneic benefits are modified by cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol misuse or unhealthy diet.