Hanyang Med Rev.  2015 Nov;35(4):242-249. 10.7599/hmr.2015.35.4.242.

Current Concepts in Stem Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases: What We Know and Don't Know

• Jeon KH

• KMID: 2129478
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2015.35.4.242

Abstract

Medical therapies and mechanical interventions for the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic heart failure have seen great progress. However, current therapies only slow the progression to heart failure, but do not stimulate regeneration to recover the loss of functional myocytes. Stem cell-based therapy is a novel modality that can potentially be used for the treatment of ischemic cardiac injury and heart failure wherein cardiac tissue is regenerated thereby improving cardiac function and reducing the morbidity and mortality of patients. Many preclinical and clinical trials have employed various types of stem cells including bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells, skeletal myoblasts, resident cardiac stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelial progenitor cells, and these studies have suggested great potential for the clinical application of stem cell therapy for cardiac disease. Here we will review and summarize the current evidence indicating the potential of stem cell therapy, focusing on the clinical trials conducted to date.

Keyword

Stem Cells; Coronary Artery Disease; Myocardial Infarction; Heart Failure

MeSH Terms

Cardiovascular Diseases*
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Diseases
Heart Failure
Humans
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
Mortality
Muscle Cells
Myoblasts, Skeletal
Myocardial Infarction
Regeneration
Stem Cells*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Mechanism of stem cell therapy for myocardial regeneration and improvement of cardiac function.

• 

  Fig. 2 Cell types and delivery methods for stem cell therapy.

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