Endothelial Progenitor Cell Recruitment for Therapeutic Neovascularization using Alginate Hydrogels for VEGF and SDF Delivery

Abstract

Endothelial progenitor cells are potentially useful as a cell therapy for the treatment of ischemic cardiovascular diseases, but clinical outcomes have been limited likely because very few systemically delivered cells reach the target tissue. Biomaterials may improve outcomes of endothelial progenitor-based therapies because they can generate well-defined microenvironments capable of directing cell behavior. The hypothesis guiding this thesis is that local, sustained delivery of exogenous Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Stromal Cell-Derived Factor (SDF) from alginate hydrogels can enhance recruitment of endothelial progenitors to ischemic sites and also promote their contribution to new blood vessel growth.