Engineering better stem cell therapies for treating heart diseases

For decades, stem cells and their byproducts have shown efficacy in repairing tissues and organs in numerous pre-clinical studies and some clinical trials, providing hope for possible cures for many important diseases. However, the translation of stem cell therapy for heart diseases from bench to bed is still hampered by several limitations. The therapeutic benefits of stem cells are mediated by a combo of mechanisms. In this review, we will provide a brief summary of stem cell therapies for ischemic heart disease. Basically, we will talk about these barriers for the clinical application of stem cell-based therapies, the investigation of mechanisms behind stem-cell based cardiac regeneration and also, what bioengineers can do and have been doing on the translational stage of stem cell therapies for heart repair.