Markers of intrinsic regenerative capacity

Other studies suggest significant variation in intrinsic regenerative capacity, which could be useful to identify likely responders versus nonresponders. In FOCUS-CCTRN (First Mononuclear Cells Injected in the United States Study Conducted by the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network), patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy received transendocardial delivery of autologous bone marrow cells or placebo. Patients with improved left ventricle ejection fraction, left ventricle end-systolic volume, and VO2max at 6 months (responders) were compared with patients failing to respond in at least 1 measure (nonresponders). Irrespective of treatment, responders had higher frequencies of B-cells and CXCR4+bone marrow cells, with fewer endothelial cell colony formation units and macrophages, suggesting a bone marrow cells profile of patients with superior regenerative capacity.