Monocytic EPCs from seven patients with SSc and seven healthy controls cultured in endothelial induction medium resulted in expression of mature endothelial cell markers VEGFR2 and vWF, and expression of VEGFR2 and vWF was observed after Days 5 and 7, respectively, in all samples irrespective of the presence or absence of SSc (data not shown). This evidence concerns the gene KDR and systemic sclerosis.