Ischemia is defined as poor blood supply to an organ or part of the body because of changes in the vascular system. It can result in infarction or death of tissue. Partial constriction or blockage of the vessels, mainly arteries can result in ischemia and potentially lead to tissue infarction. Ischaemia can occur in many places for example in the brain (stroke), in the heart (angina pectoralis or Myocardial infarction) or in the lower limbs (Critical limb ischemia). CLI is a severe disease that can lead to amputation or even death. Despite advancement in medical and surgical treatments, leg ischemia is still a clinical challenge with unmet needs. Patients exist where current treatment methods are redundant. In these no option patients, two alternative revascularization strategies are being tested in the clinic: single angiogenic gene/protein and cell-based therapies.
This project examines the angiogenic potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) i.e their ability to regenerate new blood vessels and use them to salvage limbs in cases of CLI. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered the most appropriate type of cells as they can be obtained from small volumes of the bone marrow and can be grown outside the body. There are two ways MSCs can be attained; donated by the patient (autologous) or by an unrelated donor (allogeneic). Autologous transplantation is preferred because the body will not reject its own cells.
