Stem cells can form gap junctions with cardiac myocytes and exert pro-arrhythmic effects.
Stem cell therapy has been suggested to be a promising option for regeneration of injured myocardium, for example following a myocardial infarction. For clinical use cell-based therapies have to be safe and applicable and are aimed to renovate the architecture of the heart. Yet for functional and coordinated activity synchronized with the host myocardium stem cells have to be capable of forming electrical connections with resident cardiomyocytes. In this paper we discuss whether stem cells are capable of establishing functional electrotonic connections with cardiomyocytes and whether these may generate a risk for arrhythmias. Application of stem cells in the clinical setting with outcomes concerning arrhythmogenic safety and future perspectives will also briefly be touched upon.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Heart Centre, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Nicoline W
NW
Smit
Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Heart Centre, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands ; L'Institut de RYthmologie et modélisation Cardiaque, Université Bordeaux Segalen Bordeaux, France.
Ruben
R
Coronel
arrhythmias; cardiomyocytes; clinical trials; electrotonic connections; stem cells