Mesoangioblast
A mesoangioblast is a mesenchymal-like cell, associated with the walls of the large vessels. Mesoangioblasts exhibit many similarities to pericytes found in the small vessels. Mesoangioblasts are relatively undifferentiated cells with the potential to progress down the endothelial or mesodermal lineages. Mesoangioblasts express the endothelial marker KDR (FLK1), but not haematopoietic markers such as TAL1.[1]
Recent work has suggested their application for stem cell therapies for muscular dystrophy. Experiments in alpha-sarcoglycan deficient dystrophic mice have shown that mesoangioblast transplantation can restore muscle function. Cells are delivered intra-arterially, where they migrate to the muscles.[2][3]
In a 2006 study, mesoangioblast transplantion was used to ameliorate the effects of muscular dystrophy in golden retrievers with a congenital muscular dystrophy. The dogs given allogeneic cells survived; control animals died within 1 year.[4]
References
- Cossu, G; Bianco, P (2003). "Mesoangioblasts--vascular progenitors for extravascular mesodermal tissues". Curr Opin Genet Dev. 13 (5): 537–42. doi:10.1016/j.gde.2003.08.001. PMID 14550421.
- Guttinger, M; Tafi, E; Battaglia, M; Coletta, M; Cossu, G (2006). "Allogeneic mesoangioblasts give rise to alpha-sarcoglycan expressing fibers when transplanted into dystrophic mice". Exp. Cell Res. 312 (19): 3872–3879. doi:10.1016/j.yexcr.2006.08.012. PMID 16982052.
- Sampaolesi, M; Torrente, Y; Innocenzi, A; Tonlorenzi, R; D'Antona, G; Pellegrino, MA; Barresi, R; Bresolin, N; De Angelis, MG; Campbell, KP; Bottinelli, R; Cossu, G (July 2003). "Cell therapy of alpha-sarcoglycan null dystrophic mice through intra-arterial delivery of mesoangioblasts". Science. 301 (5632): 487–92. doi:10.1126/science.1082254. PMID 12855815.
- Sampaolesi, M; Blot, S; D'Antona, G; Granger, N; Tonlorenzi, R; Innocenzi, A; Mognol, P; Thibaud, JL; Galvez, BG; Barthelemy, I; Perani, L; Mantero, S; Guttinger, M; Pansarasa, O; Rinaldi, C; Cusella De, Angelis MG; Torrente, Y; Bordignon, C; Bottinelli, R; Cossu, G (2006). "Mesoangioblast stem cells ameliorate muscle function in dystrophic dogs" (PDF). Nature. 444 (7119): 574–579. doi:10.1038/nature05282. PMID 17108972.