Bone marrow cells in the repair and modulation of heart and blood vessels: emerging opportunities in native and engineered tissue and biomechanical materials.

Adult bone marrow-derived stem/progenitor cells have traditionally been considered to be tissue-specific cells with limited capacity for differentiation. However, recent discoveries have generated tremendous excitement regarding possible applications of stem cells, particularly bone marrow-derived stem cells, in the treatment of human diseases. The potential ability to regenerate cells of various different lineages has raised the therapeutic possibility of using these bone marrow-derived stem cells as a source of cells for tissue repair and regeneration. Tissue engineering is a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field aimed at restoring function to tissues through the delivery of constructs which become integrated into the patient. The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells provides a less invasive source for cells applicable to tissue engineering, including cardiovascular tissues such as heart valves, blood vessels, and myocardium. Although these strategies are in the early stages of development, they are conceptually promising and offer important insights into the future treatment of various cardiovascular ailments.