METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTION IN THE HEART WITH PROFIBROTIC BLOOD PROGENITOR CELLS

摘要

Cells referred to herein as ProFibrotic Blood Progenitor Cells, or PFPCs, are advantageous for the non-ablative treatment of conduction disturbances in the heart. Concentrated autologous PFPCs have the ability to modify the electrical pathways of the heart in a variety of different ways, including by spreading conduction as well as by conduction block as scar tissue is formed in response to secretion of collagen, pro-fibrotic growth factors, and cytokines. Where electromechanical coupling of fibroblasts can be induced, PFPCs may also be used to create new pathways to normalize the conduction of the heart from abnormal conduction pathways. Other approaches may be employed, including the production of gap junction proteins by means of PFPCs for the purpose of normalizing the conduction pathway via electromechanical coupling with the existing cardiac myoctyes.