Macrophages and regeneration: Lessons from the heart.
One of the most ambitious goals in modern cardiology is to regenerate the injured myocardium. The human myocardium has poor regenerative power. Thus, significant myocardial injury results in irreversible damage, scar formation, remodeling, and dysfunction. The search for therapies that will improve myocardial regeneration needs a better understanding of the mechanisms of repair and regeneration. While the role of macrophages in inflammation, scar formation, and fibrosis are well defined, their role in myocardial regeneration is less clear. Recent reports have suggested that cardiac macrophages regulate myocardial regeneration in neonatal mice. The present review aims to describe the latest discoveries about the possible role of macrophages in myocardial regeneration. We discuss the promises and difficulties to translate the latest findings into new therapies.
Tamman Cardiovascular Research Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute, Tel-Aviv University, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sheba Center for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell, and Tissue Engineering, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Electronic address: leorj@post.tau.ac.il.
Jonathan
J
Leor
Tamman Cardiovascular Research Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute, Tel-Aviv University, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sheba Center for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell, and Tissue Engineering, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Dahlia
D
Palevski
Tamman Cardiovascular Research Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute, Tel-Aviv University, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sheba Center for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell, and Tissue Engineering, Tel Hashomer, Israel; The Pinchas Borenstein Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Uri
U
Amit
Tamman Cardiovascular Research Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Neufeld Cardiac Research Institute, Tel-Aviv University, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; Sheba Center for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell, and Tissue Engineering, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Tal
T
Konfino
D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*
Heart; Inflammation; Macrophage; Monocyte; Myocardial infarction; Regeneration