title: Development of pluripotent stem cells for vascular therapy.
abstract: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by reduced limb blood flow due to arterial obstruction. Current treatment includes surgical or endovascular procedures, the failure of which may result in amputation of the affected limb. An emerging therapeutic approach is cell therapy to enhance angiogenesis and tissue survival. Small clinical trials of adult progenitor cell therapies have generated promising results, although large randomized clinical trials using well-defined cells have not been performed. Intriguing pre-clinical studies have been performed using vascular cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). In particular, hiPSC-derived vascular cells may be a superior approach for vascular regeneration. The regulatory roadmap to the clinic will be arduous, but achievable with further understanding of the reprogramming and differentiation processes; with meticulous attention to quality control; and perseverance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.
authors.forename: Katharina S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Volz
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miljan
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cooke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012038:Regeneration; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods