Recruitment and therapeutic application of macrophages in skeletal muscles after hind limb ischemia.

Objective: Peripheral arterial disease can cause not only ischemia but also skeletal muscle damage. It has been known that macrophages (MPs) play an important role in coordinating muscle repair; however, phenotype transition of monocyte-MP in ischemic muscle has not been well defined. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the temporal recruitment of MPs and to explore their therapeutic effect on ischemic muscle regeneration.

Therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells and macrophages for ischemic skeletal muscle repair.

Aim: Progressive ischemia due to peripheral artery disease causes muscle damage and reduced strength of the lower extremities. Autologous cell therapy is an attractive treatment to restore perfusion and improve muscle function. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have therapeutic potential in tissue repair, including polarizing effects on macrophages (MPs).

Fibrin-based stem cell containing scaffold improves the dynamics of burn wound healing.

For severe burn injuries, successful medical intervention is accomplished by rapidly and safely providing physical barriers that can cover damaged skin tissues, thereby preventing critical danger of extensive bleeding and infection. Despite availability of a large assortment of wound coverage options, the etiology of wound healing is rather complex leading to significant defects in skin repair. The use of cell-mediated treatment approaches in combination with bioengineered wound coverage constructs may provide the missing tool to improve wound healing outcomes.

Therapeutic assessment of mesenchymal stem cells delivered within a PEGylated fibrin gel following an ischemic injury.

The intent of the current study was to investigate the therapeutic contribution of MSCs to vascular regeneration and functional recovery of ischemic tissue. We used a rodent hind limb ischemia model and intramuscularly delivered MSCs within a PEGylated fibrin gel matrix. Within this model, we demonstrated that MSC therapy, when delivered in PEGylated fibrin, results in significantly higher mature blood vessel formation, which allows for greater functional recovery of skeletal muscle tissue as assessed using force production measurements.

The Development of Macrophage-Mediated Cell Therapy to Improve Skeletal Muscle Function after Injury.

Skeletal muscle regeneration following acute injury is a multi-step process involving complex changes in tissue microenvironment. Macrophages (MPs) are one of the key cell types involved in orchestration and modulation of the repair process. Multiple studies highlight the essential role of MPs in the control of the myogenic program and inflammatory response during skeletal muscle regeneration.

Controlled delivery of SDF-1α and IGF-1: CXCR4(+) cell recruitment and functional skeletal muscle recovery.

Therapeutic delivery of regeneration-promoting biological factors directly to the site of injury has demonstrated its efficacy in various injury models. Several reports describe improved tissue regeneration following local injection of tissue specific growth factors, cytokines and chemokines. Evidence exists that combined cytokine/growth factor treatment is superior for optimizing tissue repair by targeting different aspects of the regeneration response.

Anti-inflammatory macrophages improve skeletal muscle recovery from ischemia-reperfusion.

The presence of macrophages (MPs) is essential for skeletal muscle to properly regenerate following injury. The aim of this study was the evaluation of MP profiles and their importance in skeletal muscle recovering from tourniquet-induced ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Using flow cytometry, we identified two distinct CD11b(+) MP populations that differ in expression of the surface markers Ly-6C and F4/80.

Omental immune aggregates and tumor metastasis within the peritoneal cavity.

The omentum, an important peritoneal tissue, is studded with a high number of immune aggregates, or "milky spots," the number, function, and phenotype of which is largely unknown. We have analyzed the immune composition on the normal omentum and also have shown that both free immune cells and tumor cells in the peritoneal fluid bind preferentially to these immune aggregates. This binding may be mediated by the network of collagen I fibers, which overlay these areas.

Preferential attachment of peritoneal tumor metastases to omental immune aggregates and possible role of a unique vascular microenvironment in metastatic survival and growth.

Controlling metastases remains a critical problem in cancer biology. Within the peritoneal cavity, omental tissue is a common site for metastatic disease arising from intraperitoneal tumors; however, it is unknown why this tissue is so favorable for metastatic tumor growth. Using five different tumor cell lines in three different strains of mice, we found that the omentum was a major site of metastases growth for intraperitoneal tumors.