Angiogenesis initiation and growth

1. A method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient, the method comprising:

obtaining blood compatible with the patient;

isolating platelet-rich plasma, wherein the isolating of the platelet-rich plasma comprises density fractionation of said blood;

administering said platelet-rich plasma to the site; and

stimulating the site with an electromagnetic field following administration of said platelet-rich plasma to the site; thereby

promoting angiogenesis at the site upon application of said electromagnetic field and said platelet-rich plasma to the site;

wherein:

the stimulating the site with an electromagnetic field comprises generating in the tissue a capacitively-coupled time-varying electromagnetic field, or generating a pulsed electromagnetic field; and

the stimulating the site with an electromagnetic field comprises:

placing at least two electrodes across the site on the patient; and

applying electrical energy to said electrodes so as to capacitively couple said electrodes and generate said electromagnetic field therebetween, said electromagnetic field passing through said platelet-rich plasma so as to promote angiogenesis at the site; or

placing a stimulation coil proximate to the site; and

generating a pulsed electromagnetic field at the site by said stimulation coil, said pulsed electromagnetic field passing through said platelet-rich plasma so as to promote angiogenesis at the site.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capacitively-coupled time-varying electromagnetic field has a peak amplitude of from about 0.1 to about 100 millivolts per centimeter, and a frequency from about 1 kHz to about 200 kHz.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic field has a pulse duration from about 10 to 2000 microseconds.

4. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the promoting of angiogenesis of the site upon application of said electromagnetic field and said platelet-rich plasma comprises:

promoting the production of FGF-2 at the site upon the application of said electromagnetic field; and

upregulating the proliferation of endothelial cells at the site upon application of said electromagnetic field.

5. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising administering stem cells to the site, said stem cells selected from the group consisting of adipose stromal cells, stem cells derived from bone marrow aspirate, and combinations thereof.

6. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the administering of stem cells to the site comprises:

performing lipoaspiration on the patient to obtain adipose tissue, said adipose tissue including adipose stem cells and adipocytes;

enzymatically digesting said adipose tissue; and

separating said adipose stem cells from said adipocytes in said enzymatically digested adipose tissue.

7. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the administering of stem cells to the site comprises:

isolating bone marrow aspirate from the patient, said bone marrow aspirate including stem cells;

centrifuging said bone marrow aspirate to concentrate said stem cells;

isolating said concentrated stem cells derived from bone marrow aspirate.

8. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of blood compatible with the patient comprises identifying and obtaining donor blood compatible with the patient by matching blood cell surface antigens.

9. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the administering of platelet-rich plasma to the site further comprises administering an isolated angiogenic factor selected from the group consisting of angiogenin, angiopoietin-1, del-1 protein, acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF or FGF-1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2), follistatin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), leptin, midkine, placental growth factor, platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PD-ECGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), pleiotrophin (PTN), progranulin, proliferin, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular permeability factor (VPF), and combinations thereof.

10. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the site on the patient exhibits one of the following conditions: coronary artery disease, stroke, delayed wound healing, chronic wound, peripheral vascular disease, ischemia, chronic tendonosis, wound or tissue breakdown resulting from radiation treatment, and myocardial infarction.

11. The method for promoting angiogenesis as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the isolating of the platelet-rich plasma comprises filtration.

12. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the promoting of angiogenesis of the site upon application of said electromagnetic field and said platelet-rich plasma comprises:

promoting the production of FGF-2 at the site upon the application of said electromagnetic field, and

upregulating the proliferation of endothelial cells at the site upon application of said electromagnetic field.

13. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising administering stem cells to the site, said stem cells selected from the group consisting of adipose stromal cells, stem cells derived from bone marrow aspirate, and combinations thereof.

14. The method for promoting angiogenesis at a site on a patient as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the administering of platelet-rich plasma to the site further comprises administering an isolated angiogenic factor selected from the group consisting of angiogenin, angiopoietin-1, del-1 protein, acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF or FGF-1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2), follistatin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), interleukin-8 (IL-8), leptin, midkine, placental growth factor, platelet-derived endothelial growth factor (PD-ECGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), pleiotrophin (PTN), progranulin, proliferin, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular permeability factor (VPF), and combinations thereof.