Adult stem cells from cord blood help repair damaged heart muscle

Researchers at the University of Bristol have found heart muscle-like cells, grown from umbilical cord blood cells, can help repair muscle damaged by a heart attack.

The researchers have found heart muscle-like cells grown using stem cells from umbilical cord blood could help repair heart muscle cells damaged by a heart attack.

The study found that it is possible to expand up to seven-fold, in vitro, rare stem cells (called CD133+) from umbilical cord blood and then grow them into cardiac muscle cells.

This research suggests that in the future stem cells derived from cord blood bank facilities might be used for repair after a heart attack.

The study focused on a rare type of stem cells, called CD133+, which is also present in adult bone marrow. There is also strong experimental evidence these cells derived from bone marrow may help with the regeneration of damaged heart muscle.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Regenerative medicine research is absolutely crucial. Right now, the damage to the heart caused by heart attack cannot be reversed. There has been interest for some time in the use of umbilical cord as a source of stem cells for therapy. This study has shown for the first time that it's possible to turn cord blood stem cells into cells that look like heart muscle, in the lab. These results are encouraging."

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