• • 
  Introduction
• • 
  Role of monocyte in neovascularization

  • ‐ 
    Angiogenesis in ischemia
  • ‐ 
    Angiogenesis in tumour and chronic inflammation
• • 
  Monocytes versus stem cells for transplantation

  • ‐ 
    Monocytes from umbilical cord blood
• • 
  Conclusions

Neovascularization is an integral process of inflammatory reactions and subsequent repair cascades in tissue injury. Monocytes/macrophages play a key role in the inflammatory process including angiogenesis as well as the defence mechanisms by exerting microbicidal and immunomodulatory activity. Current studies have demonstrated that recruited monocytes/macrophages aid in regulating angiogenesis in ischemic tissue, tumours and chronic inflammation. In terms of neovascularization followed by tissue regeneration, monocytes/macrophages should be highly attractive for cell‐based therapy compared to any other stem cells due to their considerable advantages: non‐oncogenic, non‐teratogenic, multiple secretary functions including pro‐angiogenic and growth factors, straightforward cell harvesting procedure and non‐existent ethical controversy. In addition to adult origins such as bone marrow or peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood (UCB) can be a potential source for autologous or allogeneic monocytes/macrophages. Especially, UCB monocytes should be considered as the first candidate owing to their feasibility, low immune rejection and multiple characteristic advantages such as their anti‐inflammatory properties by virtue of their unique immune and inflammatory immaturity, and their pro‐angiogenic ability. In this review, we present general characteristics and potential of monocytes/macrophages for cell‐based therapy, especially focusing on neovascularization and UCB‐derived monocytes.