CXCR4 and acute myocardial infarction: Some studies have revealed that administration of expanded EPCs, with or without CXCR4 gene transfer, to animal models of hindlimb ischemia and acute myocardial infarction could improve blood flow and subsequent functional recovery, documented as limb salvage and improvement of myocardial function mediated through SDF-1α/CXCR4 pathway [7, 10].