[Cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis for the treatment of ischemic disease]

Cell-based therapy has been the recent focus of attention for repairing injured organs. Several cell sources, derived from peripheral blood, bone marrow, or embryonic stem cells, have been used to induce angiogenesis successfully in various experimental ischemic models, which might be related to angiogenic cytokine production and endothelial incorporation from implanted cells within the targeted ischemic tissues after implantation. Clinical trials have also reported the feasibility and found some efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis induced by the implantation of autologous bone marrow-(or peripheral blood)-derived cells in patients with ischemic heart disease and peripheral artery disease. Although many questions regarding the effectiveness and safety, optimal cell number and route of delivery, and mechanisms remain, cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis may be a novel and promising treatment option for ischemic disease.