Cathepsin K Deficiency Impaired Ischemia-Induced Neovascularization in Aged Mice.

These findings established that the impairment of ischemia-induced neovascularization in aged CatK-/- mice is due, at least in part, to the reduction of EPC mobilization and the homing of the cells into vasculature that is associated with the impairment of Notch1 signaling activation at advanced ages.