Can Stem Cells Restore Cardiac Tissue after a Heart Attack?
Myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack, is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Present treatment aims to restore blood flow to the heart muscle in order to limit the extent of permanent damage. Extensive damage keeps the heart from doing its job of pumping blood to the body. This leads to a state called congestive heart failure, which may, over time, be fatal. Recent developments in stem-cell research suggest the possibility of repairing damage. Stem cells are undeveloped cells that have the potential to develop into any type of specialized cell in the body, including heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). Transplanted stem cells seem to be able to attach themselves to the site of injury and replace cells that have been lost. Just how they do this remains unclear. Replacing damaged heart muscle cells with healthy cells may avoid heart failure after myocardial infarction.
