This invention provides methods of increasing
blood flow to tissue in a subject in need thereof, methods of regenerating tissue in a subject, methods of treating diseased tissue in a subject, methods of forming new blood vessels in tissue and new tissue, such as
myocardial tissue, in a subject in need thereof, methods of increasing
angiogenesis in diseased tissue in a subject, and methods of preventing
heart failure in a subject, which methods comprise: a) isolating autologous mononuclear cells from the subject; b) selecting from the isolated autologous mononuclear cells of step (a) lineage negative (Lin−) mononuclear cells; and c)
transplanting locally into or adjacent to the tissue an effective amount of the Lin− autologous mononuclear cells, resulting in formation of new blood vessels in the tissue and formation of new tissue. Additional methods provided for such uses further select from the isolated autologous mononuclear cells of step (a) lineage negative (Lin−) mononuclear cells a subset of Lin− mononuclear side
population (SP) cells and transplant locally into or adjacent to the tissue an effective amount of the Lin− SP cells. In other aspects, methods using tissue other than mononuclear cells for these uses are provided, which comprise (a) obtaining a
cell suspension from the tissue or a second tissue of the subject; (b) selecting from the
cell suspension step (a) side
population (SP) cells; and (c)
transplanting locally into or adjacent to the tissue an effective amount of the SP cells, resulting in formation of new blood vessels in the tissue and formation of new tissue.