Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in modern societies. Recent achievements in the treatment of CAD including statins, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and interventional procedure improved the outcome of patients with CAD, but this conventional approach failed to control cardiovascular mortality. Nowadays, cells (stem cells) and their potential role in managing patients with heart disease is a field of intensive research. Various types of cells have been used for transplantation targeting heart regeneration, including bone marrow cells (BMCs), cardiac stem cells (CSCs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), skeletal myoblasts (SMs), adipose stroma tissue cells (ATSCs), mesenchymal cells (MCs), and embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Several routes have been used to deliver these cells to human myocardium or to the coronary circulation such as, intracoronary injection, intravenous infusion, direct injection into the ventricular wall, or transepicardial/transendocardial infusions. Although the results of the recent clinical trials in this area are rather conflicting, these therapeutic approaches seem to be promising for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.coph.2008.01.001

Type

Journal article

Journal

Curr Opin Pharmacol

Publication Date

04/2008

Volume

8

Pages

211 - 218

Keywords

Animals, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Clinical Trials as Topic, Coronary Artery Disease, Humans, Injections, Myocytes, Cardiac, Regeneration, Stem Cell Transplantation, Stem Cells