Korean Circ J.  2009 Mar;39(3):87-92. 10.4070/kcj.2009.39.3.87.

Is Stem Cell-Based Therapy Going on or Out for Cardiac Disease?

• Byun KH
• Kim SW

• KMID: 1825963
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2009.39.3.87

Abstract

Acute myocardial infarction and subsequent heart failure are leading causes of death worldwide. Stem cell-based therapies have improved cardiac function in recent clinical trials, but cardiomyocyte regeneration has not been demonstrated in human hearts. Angiogenesis and restoration of cardiac perfusion have been successfully performed using bone marrow derived stem cells and other adult stem cells. Resident cardiac stem cells are known to differentiate into multiple heart cell types, including cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, induced pluripotent stem cells are a focus of research due to the great potential for customized stem cell therapy.

Keyword

Stem cells; Cell differentiation; Cardiomyocytes; Regeneration

MeSH Terms

Adult Stem Cells
Bone Marrow
Cause of Death
Cell Differentiation
Heart
Heart Failure
Humans
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Myocardial Infarction
Myocytes, Cardiac
Perfusion
Regeneration
Stem Cells

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Schematic diagrams of regeneration and renewal potential of stem cells.

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  Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of intra-cellular transduction system for pluripotency. The generation of stem cell pluripotency is under genetic regulation. There are several intra-cellular steps occurring between receptor-binding and final protein expression. In laboratory experiments, each step can be modified for a stem cell's pleuripotency. DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid, mRNA: mesenger ribonucleic acid.

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  Fig. 3 Schematic flow-diagram of stem cell therapy in cardiac disease. There are three main paths for stem cell application. The process of cell sorting, ex-vivo culture, transplantation, and incorporation represents one path. The process of cell sorting, culture, differentiation, tissue engineering, and transplantation represents another path. The process of activation of resident stem cells in the damaged heart or homing from another organ represents the final path.

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