title: Stem cell research and cell transplantation for myocardial regeneration.
abstract: Several human organs are not capable of functional regeneration following a tissue defect and react with scar formation. In stem cell transplantation, undifferentiated or partly differentiated precursor cells are applied to defective tissue for therapeutic regeneration. After promising preclinical investigations, the transplantation of autologous stem cells for myocardial infarction treatment is being transferred to clinical use. Mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial precursor cells derived from the bone marrow or circulating blood as well as skeletal myoblasts are employed in clinical trials. Furthermore, indications for cell transplantation and delivery routes vary considerably throughout current investigations. Initial results suggest a potential for restoration of cardiac function in stem cell-treated patients; however, the mechanisms are not fully understood. This overview will focus on objectives, recent achievements, and future perspectives of diverse stem cell transplantation approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Clinic, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Hugstetterstrasse 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. matthias.siepe@web.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siepe
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heilmann
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: von Samson
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Menasché
authors.forename: Friedhelm
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beyersdorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000601:surgery*; D009206:Myocardium; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*