Stem cell therapy for ischemic heart disease.
Recent experimental and clinical observations have suggested that cell transplantation could be of therapeutic value for the treatment of heart disease. This approach was based on the idea that transplanted donor cardiomyocytes would integrate with the host myocardium and thereby directly contribute to cardiac function. Surprisingly, the observation that non-cardiomyogenic cells could also improve cardiac function indicates that functional integration of donor cells might not be required to achieve a beneficial effect. More recently, several observations have suggested the presence of a greater than anticipated developmental repertoire in adult-derived stem cells, which, if further validated, would offer unprecedented opportunities for the restoration of cardiac function in diseased hearts. Here, we discuss current issues regarding the potential use of stem cell transplantation for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.
Hassink
Rutger J
RJ
University Medical Center, Heart Lung Center, Dept of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands. rutger@niob.knaw.nl
Dowell
Joshua D
JD
Brutel de la Rivière
Aart
A
Doevendans
Pieter A
PA
Field
Loren J
LJ
D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D032386:Myoblasts, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation