KDR and multiminicore myopathy: In 2008, Yoshihara et al.71 found for the first time that the number of CD34+ cells in thePB of MMD patients was significantly higher than that of normal people.Subsequently, researchers used more abundant molecular markers, such as CD133,vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (kinase insert domain receptor)VEGFR-2 (KDR), and CD31, to characterize and count EPCs in PB.