Cell-based therapies for vascular regeneration: Past, present and future

Yasaman Aghazadeh; Safwat T Khan; Blessing Nkennor; Sara S Nunes

doi:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107976

Cell-based therapies for vascular regeneration: Past, present and future

Pharmacol Ther. 2022 Mar:231:107976. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107976. Epub 2021 Sep 1.

Authors

Yasaman Aghazadeh¹, Safwat T Khan², Blessing Nkennor³, Sara S Nunes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St., Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St., Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada.
² Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St., Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada.
³ Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St., Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada.
⁴ Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, 101 College St., Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada; Laboratory of Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Heart and Stroke/Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada. Electronic address: sara.vasconcelos@utoronto.ca.

PMID: 34480961
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107976

Abstract

Tissue vascularization remains one of the outstanding challenges in regenerative medicine. Beyond its role in circulating oxygen and nutrients, the vasculature is critical for organ development, function and homeostasis. Importantly, effective vascular regeneration is key in generating large 3D tissues for regenerative medicine applications to enable the survival of cells post-transplantation, organ growth, and integration into the host system. Therefore, the absence of clinically applicable means of (re)generating vessels is one of the main obstacles in cell replacement therapy. In this review, we highlight cell-based vascularization strategies which demonstrate clinical potential, discuss their strengths and limitations and highlight the main obstacles hindering cell-based therapeutic vascularization.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; Endothelial cells; Regeneration; Revascularization therapy; Stem cells; Vasculature.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Neovascularization, Pathologic
Neovascularization, Physiologic*
Regeneration
Regenerative Medicine
Tissue Engineering*

Grants and funding

PJT153160/CIHR/Canada