The current application is directed to a method for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), comprising: providing isolated endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs); treating the EPCs with prostacyclin, wherein the treated EPCs exhibit a hyperproliferative phenotype with enhanced angiogenic property; and administering a composition comprising the treated EPCs into a subject suffering from PAH.

The present invention relates to the area of in vitro cell populations useful for generating vascular networks in vitro and are suitable for use in vivo for regeneration of vascular tissue. In some embodiments, the bipotent cell population of the present invention comprise endothelial cells and pericytes that express vascular endothelial cadherin and are 95% or more positive for CD105 and CD146, and which work syergistically to recreate vascular tissues in vitro.

The present invention relates to methods of generating and expanding pitman embryonic stem cell derived mesenchymal-like stem/stromal cells. These hES-MSCs are characterized at least in part by the low level of expression of IL-6. These cells are useful for the prevention and treatment of T cell related autoimmune disease, especially multiple sclerosis, as well as for delivering agents across the bland-brain barrier and the blood-spinal cord barrier. Also provided is a method of selecting clinical grade hES-MSC and a method of modifying MSC to produced a MSC with specific biomarker profile. The modified MSC are useful for treatment of various diseases.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for the regeneration of tissue. In particular, the present invention provides mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) for bladder regeneration.

Methods for in vitro differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into endothelial cells, using a protocol that includes transient expression of exogenous ETS translocation variant 2 (ETV2), and uses of those cells in human therapies, e.g., to treat hemophilia.

Provided are a cell population substantially consisting of mammalian cells that are positive for cell surface markers CD31 and CD200 and negative for CD45; a cell population substantially consisting of mammalian cells that are positive for cell surface markers CD31, CD157 and CD200 and negative for CD45; a mammalian vascular endothelial stem cell that is positive for the cell surface marker CD31, positive for at least one of CD157 and CD200, and negative for CD45; and a medicament for vascular regeneration, comprising any of the cell populations or the vascular endothelial stem cells as an active ingredient.

Disclosed is a method to differentiate stern, progenitor or precursor cells comprising contacting said stem, progenitor or precursor cells with miR-130a, or an RNA having at least 95% identity thereto, so as to yield cells of endothelial lineage. Further disclosed are compositions comprising the endothelial lineage cells obtained and methods of using the compositions for treating diseases including cardiovascular diseases.

The current application is directed to a method for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), comprising: providing isolated endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs); treating the EPCs with prostacyclin, wherein the treated EPCs exhibit a hyperproliferative phenotype with enhanced angiogenic property; and administering a composition comprising the treated EPCs into a subject suffering from PAH.

The present invention is directed to vascular tissue constructs or vessels and methods for producing vascular tissue constructs or vessels (ie., fabricated blood vessels), including veins, arteries, capillaries and other vascular structures from a biomaterial foundation or scaffold and epicardial progenitor cells (EPCs) which are seeded onto the biomaterial, exposed to a differentiation medium and differentiated into endothelial, cells, smooth muscle cells and pericytes which self-assemble into vascular tissue associated with N the biomaterial foundation or scaffold.

The invention features compositions featuring (a) one or more of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and human C-terminal CTGF peptide; and (b) one or more of insulin and IGF-1; and methods of using such compositions to reduce cardiac tissue damage associated with an ischemic event or to enhance engraftment of a cell in a cardiac tissue.