Lower Levels of Circulating Progenitor Cells Are Associated With Low Physical Function and Performance in Elderly Men With Impaired Glucose Tolerance: A Pilot Substudy From the VA Enhanced Fitness Trial

摘要

Background.Aging is marked by a decline in physical function. Although the biological underpinnings for this remain unclear, loss of regenerative capacity has been proposed as one cause of the loss of physical function that occurs over time. The quantity of circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) may be one reflection of regenerative capability. We sought to determine whether certain specific CPC subpopulations were associated with physical function.