University of Ottawa Heart Institute Scientists Successfully Develop Novel Biomaterial to Help Grow New Blo...( OTTAWA Jan. 13 / Researchers at the...),Health

OTTAWA, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ - Researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) have successfully grown blood vessels in damaged muscle tissue by injecting a biomaterial developed specifically to attract new cells and support regeneration. Blood vessel regeneration suggests that the body's own cells might one day be used to repair heart damage and restore function.

Details of the regeneration process were published online in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/abstract/fj.08-111054v1). A UOHI cardiac surgery research team led by Erik Suuronen, PhD, in collaboration with Dr. Marc Ruel, showed that thigh muscles with ischemia (lack of blood flow and oxygen) grew a significant number of new blood vessels when treated with the biomaterial.

"Our goal is to develop safe and effective treatments for coronary artery disease by helping the body rebuild blood vessels and improve heart function. We see this is a breakthrough that may also positively impact diseases such as diabetes, some disorders of the liver and chronic brain ischemia," said Suuronen, principal investigator of the study and research scientist in UOHI's division of cardiac surgery.

The novel biomaterial developed by the Heart Institute combines a collagen protein and a molecule known as sialyl Lewisx. The biomaterial forms a biological platform, or 'smart scaffold,' which serves as a mechanism to support cell growth. When injected into damaged muscle, the scaffold attracts special types of cells in the bloodstream called progenitor cells. In turn, the progenitor cells send out homing signals that call other cells to join them in growing new blood vessels.

Until now, cell therapy has shown only modest improvement in helping to restore blood flow and functionality in a failing h
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