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Stem Cell‐based Therapies for Treating Myocardial Infarction
Author(s) -
Lyons Gary Edward
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.184.4
Subject(s) - stem cell , medicine , myocardial infarction , cell therapy , cardiac function curve , paracrine signalling , myocyte , population , stem cell therapy , embryonic stem cell , regeneration (biology) , heart failure , bone marrow , cell , cardiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , transplantation , biochemistry , receptor , genetics , environmental health , gene
Cell therapy is a potential new means of treating patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and chronic heart disease. Published stem cell research suggests that cell therapy can enhance cardiac repair and improve cardiac function. A variety of cell‐based therapies have been tested to treat rodent models of MI. Cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and embryonic stem cells and their derivatives have been reported. All have shown some improvement in cardiac function as shown by echocardiographic measurements. In addition to forming cardiac cell types such as myocytes, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle, stem cells also have paracrine effects that reduce post‐MI remodeling. Recent reports have shown that the heart has its own population of stem cells. Isolation and expansion of these cells would permit heart regeneration without the risk of immune rejection. Challenges that remain are finding the optimal donor cells, determining the mechanism by which engrafted cells survive, differentiate and improve cardiac function, and optimizing cell delivery methods.