New Ability to Regrow Blood Vessels Holds Promise for Treatment of Heart Disease
Date: 23.2.2012
University of Texas at Austin researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs -- a research advancement that could have major implications for how we treat heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world.
The treatment method developed by Cockrell School of Engineering Assistant Professor Aaron Baker could allow doctors to bypass surgery and instead repair damaged blood vessels simply by injecting a lipid-incased substance into a patient. Once inside the body, the substance stimulates cell growth and spurs the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones.
The method combines a growth factor -- a substance capable of stimulating cellular growth, proliferation and cellular differentiation, as well as healing wounds -- known as fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) with a lipid-embedded receptor to enhance its activity.
