title: Human embryonic stem cells for cardiovascular repair.
abstract: The critical loss of functional cardiomyocytes causes severe deterioration of pump function, resulting in heart failure. The possibility to regenerate or repair damaged or ischemic cardiac tissue is a great challenge for the future treatment of end-stage heart failure. As cardiomyocytes cannot be regenerated in adults, current therapeutic modalities for the treatment of end-stage heart failure are limited and include medical therapy, mechanical left ventricular assist devices, and cardiac transplantation. This review will focus on the potential use of human embryonic stem (hES) cell-derived cardiomyocytes and vascular cells, as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of myocardial infarction and end-stage heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Interdisciplinary Unit, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Sharon Gerecht
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Nir
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaruba
authors.forename: Wolfgang M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Itskovitz-Eldor
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000601:surgery*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000196:embryology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation