Ex vivo engineering of blood and lymphatic microvascular networks

Abstract

Despite tremendous efforts in preclinical research over the last decades, the clinical translation of therapeutic angiogenesis to grow stable and functional blood vessels in patients with ischemic diseases continues to prove challenging. In this mini review, we briefly present the current main approaches applied to improv e pro-angiogenic therapies. Specific examples from research on therapeutic cardia c angiogenesis and arteriogenesis will be discussed, and finally some suggestions f or future therapeutic developments will be presented.

Keywords

• co-culture
• vascularization
• endothelial cells
• lymphangiogenesis
• scaffolds
• microvasculature
• mesenchymal stem/stromal cells
• fibroblast
• fibrin