Protein-, gene-, and cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis for the treatment of myocardial ischemia

Therapeutic angiogenesis aims at restoring perfusion to chronically ischemic myocardial territories by using growth factors or cells, without intervening on the epicardial coronary arteries. Despite angiogenesis having received considerable scientific attention over the last decade, it has not yet been shown to provide clinical benefit and is still reserved for patients who have failed conventional therapies. Nevertheless, angiogenesis is a very potent physiologic process involved in the growth and development of every animal and human, and it is likely that its use for therapeutic purposes, once its underlying mechanistic basis is better understood, will one day become an important modality for patients with CAD and other types of organ ischemia. This review summarizes current knowledge in therapeutic angiogenesis research.