ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF
Endothelial progenitor cells immunoreactive for VEGFR-2 or Tie-2, and CD45 are provided. Optionally the cell is immunoreactive with CD14. The cells are capable of differentiating in vivo into an endothelial cell or a smooth muscle cells. The cultures integrate well after transplantation into adult vasculature.
1 . A method transplanting multipotent progenitor cells into a subject comprising
a. providing an in vitro cell culture comprising multipotential human CD144 − , CD45 + and Tie-2 + or VEGFR-2 + progenitor cells wherein said cells maintain multipotential capacity to differentiate in vivo into endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells; and
b. transplanting said cells in said subject.
2 . The method of claim 1 , where is said subject suffers from a vascular disorder.
3 . A method of repopulating an injured blood vessel in a subject comprising administering to a subject a composition comprising a population of multipotential human CD144 − , CD45 + and Tie-2 + or VEGFR-2 + progenitor cells wherein said cells maintain multipotential capacity to differentiate in vivo into endothelial cells or smooth muscle cells.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said composition is administered directly to the blood vessel.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said composition is administered directly to an arterial bed.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said blood vessel is a vein or an artery.
7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein said subject suffers from a vascular disorder.