Objective:To compare the effect on revascularization of bone marrow mononuclear cells （BM/MNCs）and endothelial progenitor cells （EPCs） transplantation, and investigate  the roles of non-endothelial progenitor cells in angiogenesis.
Methods:BM/MNCs were harvested from Lewis rats bone marrow. The EPCs were obtained after BM/MNCs were cultured by EBM-2 medium for seven days. Lower limb ischemic model was made on Lewis rats。After limb ischemic model were made, 0.8ml D-Hanks, 8×106 BM/MNCs and 8×106 EPCs were injected into control group (n=6), BM/MNCs group (n=6) and EPCs group (n=6) respectively. At 3 weeks after cells transplantation, the quantity of collateral vascularization was observed with digital subtraction angiography(DSA). Meanwhile, CD31and α-SMA immunohistochemical stain were used to count the capillary and arteriolar density of the excised gastrocnemius muscle of the ischemic limb.
Results:There was no significant difference between BM/MNCs group and EPCs group in the density of the capillaries［（31.67±7.87）/HP vs(32.83±5.38)/HP，P＞0.05］,the number of collaterals ［（4.17±0.75）vs(4.50±1.38)，P＞0.05）］ and density of arterioles ［（4.83±1.47）vs(5.50±2.35)，P＞0.05）］, which were higher than those in control group, respectively.
Conclusions:Non-endothelial progenitor cells in angiogenesis has the same effects as EPC in the treatment of stem cells transplantation for ischemic disease of the limbs.