Methods for progenitor cell recruitment and isolation

A method of recruiting progenitor cells to a site in the body of a subject comprising:

• introducing at the site in the body of the subject an implant that includes one or more factors selected from growth factors, angiogenic/vasculogenic factors and bone marrow recruiting factors,
• allowing sufficient time for the progenitors cells to migrate to and enter the implant, and optionally,
• removing the implant from the subject and isolating the progenitor cells.

A method of recruiting progenitor cells to a site in the body of a subject comprising:

• introducing at the site in the body of the subject an implant comprising an external porous housing composed of a polymeric mesh and having pores of a size sufficient to allow movement into the implant of the progenitor cells to be recruited and a drug delivery system contained within the housing comprising a plurality of microspheres, microparticles, nanospheres, macrospheres, nanoparticles, macroparticles, matrices, beads, films, rods, coatings or hydrogels, the implant further including one or more factors selected from growth factors, angiogenic/vasculogenic factors and bone marrow recruiting factors,
• allowing sufficient time for the progenitors cells to migrate to and enter the implant, and optionally,
• removing the implant from the subject and isolating the progenitor cells.

An implant for recruiting progenitor cells to a site in the body of a subject comprising an external porous housing having pores of a size sufficient to allow movement into the implant of the progenitor cells to be recruited and a drug delivery system comprises a plurality of microspheres, microparticles, nanospheres, macrospheres, nanoparticles, macroparticles, matrices, beads, films, rods, coatings or hydrogels and further including one or more factors selected from growth factors, angiogenic/vasculogenic factors and bone marrow recruiting factors.

An implant for recruiting progenitor cells to a site in the body of a subject comprising an external porous housing composed of a polymeric mesh having pores of a size sufficient to allow movement into the implant of the progenitor cells to be recruited and a drug delivery system comprises a plurality of microspheres, microparticles, nanospheres, macrospheres, nanoparticles, macroparticles, matrices, beads, films, rods, coatings or hydrogels, and further including one or more factors selected from growth factors, angiogenic/vasculogenic factors and bone marrow recruiting factors.