Treatment of ischemia using stem cells

Abstract

The invention features a method for treating or preventing ischemia in a mammal by administering unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) to the mammal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of restoring cardiac function in a mammal following an event or procedure involving the heart in which ischemia has occurred or is likely to occur comprising administering a composition comprising unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) to the mammal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said administering treats myocardial infarction or reperfusion damage. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said event or procedure is selected from heart surgery, valve repair or replacement, heart transplantation, and balloon angioplasty. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said heart surgery comprises a cardiac bypass procedure 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said mammal has compromised blood flow to the heart. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said composition comprises 1×10 5  to 1×10 9  of said USSCs. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said USSCs are administered to said mammal systemically or locally. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said USSCs are administered to said mammal intravenously or intramuscularly. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said USSCs are administered directly into heart tissue. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said USSCs are:
 i) negative for expression of CD45 and CD14;   ii) positive for expression of CD13 and CD29; and   iii) lack expression of hyaluronan synthase.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said USSCs are further characterized as negative for expression of CD106, positive for expression of CD44 and CD49e, and lack expression of fibromodulin, and 1NFLS. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said ischemia is treated or prevented by engraftment of said USSCs in cardiac muscle. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the number of blood vessels supplying blood to the cardiac muscle is increased. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the increase in blood vessel number results in a decrease in necrosis in the cardiac muscle. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the increase in blood vessel number decreases the amount of atrophic cardiac muscle. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said USSCs are derived from umbilical cord blood. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said mammal is a human.