Abstract and Introduction
Cellular cardiomyoplasty is an expanding field of research that involves numerous types of immature cells administered via several modes of delivery. The purpose of this review is to investigate the benefits of different types of cells used in stem cell research as well as the most efficient mode of delivery. The authors also present data showing that stem cells isolated from bone marrow are present at both 2 weeks and 3 months after engraftment in a myocardial infarction. These cells express muscle markers at both time points, which suggests that they have begun to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Several questions must be answered, however, before stem cells can be used routinely in the clinic. Once these questions have been addressed, the use of stem cells in clinical practice can be realized.
The field of stem cell research, particularly as it relates to the cardiovascular system, has exploded in recent years with numerous exciting experimental and clinical studies utilizing various types of stem cells. The purposes of this review are to summarize some of the major findings related to stem cell therapy in the heart and to delineate potential limitations of the various types of stem cells. The current state of the literature makes it clear that stem cell therapy is progressing rapidly to the clinical setting with early reports showing promising results.
Stem cells, a group of undifferentiated cells capable of long-term self-renewal, can be derived from a number of host organs such as bone marrow (mesenchymal, endothelial precursor, and hematopoietic stem cells [HSCs]), adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle (myofibroblasts). These cells exhibit tissue-directed differentiation in such a way that stem cells isolated from the liver and reinjected into the liver become hepatocytes, whereas the same cells, if injected into the heart, become cardiomyocytes.[1] Stem cells have been used to regenerate neural tissue, skeletal muscle and bone,[2] and recently the myocardium.[3,4]
Many challenges and questions remain to be answered concerning the use of stem cells in the regeneration of the myocardium. What is the maximum therapeutic potential of stem cells? Are these cells able to home to sites of injury? What is the proper route of administration and/or combination of cell types needed to ensure maximum regeneration of the myocardium? We will attempt to address these questions and present data from our group as well as others showing that the therapeutic use of stem cells is an issue that will not soon leave the biomedical research arena.
CHF. 2004;10(6) © 2004 Le Jacq Communications, Inc.
Cite this: Stem Cell Therapy for the Heart - Medscape - Nov 01, 2004.
Comments