title: Biochemistry and biology: heart-to-heart to investigate cardiac progenitor cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving field, with promising future developments for effective personalized treatments. Several stem/progenitor cells are candidates for cardiac cell therapy, and emerging evidence suggests how multiple metabolic and biochemical pathways strictly regulate their fate and renewal.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, we will explore a selection of areas of common interest for biology and biochemistry concerning stem/progenitor cells, and in particular cardiac progenitor cells. Numerous regulatory mechanisms have been identified that link stem cell signaling and functions to the modulation of metabolic pathways, and vice versa. Pharmacological treatments and culture requirements may be exploited to modulate stem cell pluripotency and self-renewal, possibly boosting their regenerative potential for cell therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mitochondria and their many related metabolites and messengers, such as oxygen, ROS, calcium and glucose, have a crucial role in regulating stem cell fate and the balance of their functions, together with many metabolic enzymes. Furthermore, protein biochemistry and proteomics can provide precious clues on the definition of different progenitor cell populations, their physiology and their autocrine/paracrine regulatory/signaling networks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interdisciplinary approaches between biology and biochemistry can provide productive insights on stem/progenitor cells, allowing the development of novel strategies and protocols for effective cardiac cell therapy clinical translation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Stem Cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Biotechnology, Sapienza University, Italy.
authors.forename: Isotta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giacomello
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*