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(Circulation. 2005;112:151-153.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorial

Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Myocardial Infarction

Promises and Pitfalls

Kai C. Wollert, MD; Helmut Drexler, MD

From the Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hanover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.

Correspondence to Prof Dr Helmut Drexler, Abt Kardiologie und Angiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg Str 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. E-mail drexler.helmut@mh-hannover.de

Key Words: Editorials • stem cells, mesenchymal • myocardial infarction • grafting • systole

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

Recent studies indicate that cardiac transfer of adult stem cells can have a favorable impact on tissue perfusion and contractile performance of the infarcted heart. Several cell sources are being explored in an effort to regenerate infarcted myocardium, including hematopoietic stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells, cardiac resident stem cells, bone marrow–derived multipotent stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Each of these cell types may have its own profile of advantages, limitations, and practicability issues in specific settings. Studies comparing the regenerative capacity of distinct cell populations are scarce. Most clinical investigators have therefore chosen a pragmatic approach by using unselected bone marrow cells that contain different stem cell populations. Basic scientists, by contrast, are focusing more on specific cell populations in a quest to understand the biological foundations of cell therapy and to identify the most promising stem cells for cardiac regeneration.¹

See p 214

MSCs are a rare population of self-renewing, multipotent cells present in adult bone marrow. Although MSCs represent <0.01% of all nucleated bone marrow cells, they can be readily expanded in vitro. In defined culture media, MSCs differentiate into several mesenchymal cell lineages, including cardiomyocytes.^2,3 When injected into normal adult myocardium, MSCs differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells with sarcomeric organization.⁴ In an earlier study in pigs with myocardial infarction (MI), MSCs grafted into the infarcted area were shown to express muscle-specific markers and to improve regional wall motion.⁵ Ease of isolation, high expansion capability, and cardiomyogenic potential have led to the proposition that MSCs may be . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Related Article:

Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Postinfarcted Rat Myocardium: Short- and Long-Term Effects

Wangde Dai, Sharon L. Hale, Bradley J. Martin, Jin-Qiang Kuang, Joan S. Dow, Loren E. Wold, and Robert A. Kloner
Circulation 2005 112: 214-223. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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