Cellular Therapy to Heal Vascular Tissue

Abstract

The present invention encompasses methods and apparatus for minimizing the risks inherent in endovascular grafting for blood vessel therapy and repair. The invention involves delivering adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, progenitor cells, fibroblasts, or smooth muscle cells to the diseased blood vessel.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of treating an aneurysm in an individual at the aneurysmal site using self-derived cells, comprising:
 harvesting adult stem cell-containing tissue from the individual wherein said tissue is selected from the group consisting of adipose tissue, bone marrow and peripheral blood;   isolating adult stem cells from the tissue; and   delivering the isolated adult stem cells directly to the wall of a blood vessel at said aneurysmal site by liquid delivery means wherein said blood vessel wall is repaired and said aneurysm is treated in said individual.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the harvesting step is accomplished by liposuction, drawing blood, or harvesting bone marrow. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the adult stem cells are isolated by growth in selective medium, by density centrifugation, fluorescence activated cell sorting or by magnetic activated cell sorting. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the adult stem cells are isolated by assaying for adult stem cell-specific a actin, calponin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, β-tubulin or vimentin expression. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of modifying the adult stem cells after the isolating step. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the modifying step is accomplished by genetic engineering. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the adult stem cells are genetically engineered to produce at least one cellular factor selected from the group of collagen.