Regenerating Heart Functions

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A recently published article in Stem Cells, a scientific journal, elaborated on a report about the capability of stem cells to play a major role in regenerating human cardiovascular cells. New research and development may offer an alternative to drug therapy, pacemakers, and even heart transplants in the future. The focus of the study is on a new stem cell that has been studied for its potential to regenerate heart tissues.
This special cell called an induced pluripotent stem cell, develops and behaves much like an embryonic stem cell. Induced pluripotent stem cells can be used to re-grow specific tissues that may prove to be helpful in regrowing organ systems. The use of such stem cells for the regrowth of specific organ tissues will help to alleviate the concerns and dangers of patient rejection, since the stem cells are cultivated from a patient's own stem cells. Scientists believe that it may take as much as five to 10 years before current studies will allow testing such stem cells on human subjects, but the excitement generated within the scientific community, of the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells to be used specifically with cardiac patients is increasing.

Because heart muscle cells and tissues damaged during a cardiac event cannot regrow, doctors are hoping to be able to use induced pluripotent stem cells to replace those damaged during an attack. Studies have been successful in transforming mouse stem cells into the induced pluripotent stem cells. The future of cardiovascular treatments will hinge on these very closely followed studies.

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