Intra-Arterial Transplantation of Adult Bone Marrow Cells Restores Blood Flow and Regenerates Skeletal Muscle in Ischemic Limbs

Abstract

Adult BMCs injected into ischemic limbs without immunosuppressant therapy differentiated into blood vessels and skeletal myofibers, and this was associated with accelerated blood flow restoration and increased serum levels of VEGF, FGF-2, TGF-beta, IL-4, and TNF-alpha. Skeletal muscle formation may provide benefits beyond angiogenesis to patients with chronic peripheral arterial disease or to patients with low cardiac output states who also suffer from skeletal muscle atrophy.