The physiological, pathological, and regenerative roles of pericytes as microvascular mural cells and multipotent precursors have gained significant attention. The capacity to prospectively purify pericytes from multiple organs enables the investigation of their tissue-specific regenerative capabilities. Here, we describe the application of purified human pericytes for cardiac regeneration post-infarct in an immunodeficient mouse model. This protocol includes experimental details of pericyte isolation from both human skeletal and cardiac muscle, an immunodeficient mouse model of acute myocardial infarction, and xenogeneic pericyte transplantation.
Keywords: Cardiac regeneration; Multipotent precursor cells; Myocardium; Pericytes; Skeletal muscle; Stem cells.