Healing a broken heart with stem cells.
We discuss here the rapid progress of stem cell therapy in myocardial infarction. In particular, we focus on the issue of transdifferentiation as a "hallmark" of the stem cell's potential to replace damaged cells of the heart. A study by Henning and colleagues in this issue of Cell Transplantation supports the alternative notion of a nontransdifferentiation-mediated protection of the heart as an equally robust mechanism underlying the therapeutic potential of stem cells.
Stern
David M
DM
School of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912-3200, USA.
Hess
David C
DC
Borlongan
Cesar V
CV
D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*