Stem cell therapy for the heart.
Cellular cardiomyoplasty is an expanding field of research that involves numerous types of immature cells administered via several modes of delivery. The purpose of this review is to investigate the benefits of different types of cells used in stem cell research as well as the most efficient mode of delivery. The authors also present data showing that stem cells isolated from bone marrow are present at both 2 weeks and 3 months after engraftment in a myocardial infarction. These cells express muscle markers at both time points, which suggests that they have begun to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Several questions must be answered, however, before stem cells can be used routinely in the clinic. Once these questions have been addressed, the use of stem cells in clinical practice can be realized.
Wold
Loren E
LE
The Heart Institute, Good Samaritan Hospital, 1225 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA.
Dai
Wangde
W
Sesti
Casilde
C
Hale
Sharon L
SL
Dow
Joan S
JS
Martin
Bradley J
BJ
Kloner
Robert A
RA
D000818:Animals; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D032448:Myoblasts, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*