Cell Therapy in Cardiac Diseases

The mammalian heart is nowadays viewed as a dynamic organ, capable of endogenous regeneration. However, the intrinsic rate of cardiomyocyte renewal is low and cannot make up for the extensive loss of cardiomyocytes occurring after a major heart injury, such as a myocardial infarction. Multiple cell types (including skeletal myoblasts, bone marrow-derived cells, heart-derived progenitor cells, embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells) have been used in preclinical animal models and in clinical trials to repair or regenerate the injured heart, either directly (through formation of new transplanted tissue) or indirectly (through paracrine stimulation of endogenous regeneration). Herein, we provide a critical assessment of the various cell types used for heart repair and regeneration, discuss the insights arising from the first decade of clinical trials, and touch upon future directions of cell therapy for heart disease.