Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for cardiac and peripheral vascular disease

Recent studies have suggested that marrow and blood hematopoietic stem cells may contribute to nonhematopoietic tissue repair in multiple organ systems. In animal models and more recently in limited human trials, unpurified marrow mononuclear cells and/or subsets of adult hematopoietic stem cells have been reported to contribute to neoangiogenesis. Since the subset of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that are both CD34(+) and AC 133(+) are endothelial cell precursors, clinical trials using autologous AC133(+) HSCs isolated with the Miltenyi CLIMACS cell separator and transplanted into patients with ischemic and refractory peripheral vascular or coronary artery disease are being implemented at Northwestern University.