Cellular therapy and myocardial tissue engineering: the role of adult stem and progenitor cells.
Acquired cardiovascular diseases and complex congenital heart diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Cellular therapy and tissue engineering are emerging as promising alternative approaches to treat cardiovascular diseases. Cellular therapy involves isolating cells and delivering the cells to the site of cardiac injury to restore blood flow and contractility to previously infarcted, scarred or dysfunctional heart. Myocardial tissue engineering, engineered heart tissue by seeding cells in three-dimensional matrices of biodegradable polymers or cell sheet engineering without artificial scaffolds to form new myocardial constructs. Questions are common to both these approaches, such as the best cell source and optimal conditions for therapeutic application. The capabilities of stem cells for pluripotency and long-term self-renewal make it an ideal source for myocardial tissue engineering and cell therapy. We review the current understanding of postnatal adult stem and progenitor cells in cellular therapy and myocardial tissue engineering from a surgical view point, and highlight the latest advances in these exciting fields.
Wu
Kai Hong
KH
Pediatric Cardiac Center, Department of Surgery, Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 167 Beilishi Road, Beijing 100037, China.
Liu
Ying Long
YL
Zhou
Bin
B
Han
Zhong Chao
ZC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000628:therapy; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*