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Improving Heart Muscle Function

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Submitted by

Mark Ferguson

Source

Source Name: Nature Biotechnology

Source URL: https://www.pubfacts.com/detail/31375810/Epicardial-cells-derived-from-human-emb…

Author(s)

Johannes Bargehr, Lay Ping Ong, Maria Colzani, Hongorzul Davaapil, Peter Hofsteen, Shiv Bhandari, Laure Gambardella, Nicolas Le Novère, Dharini Iyer, Fotios Sampaziotis, Florian Weinberger, Alessandro Bertero, Andrea Leonard, William G Bernard, Amy Martinson, Nichola Figg, Michael Regnier, Martin R Bennett, Charles E Murry, Sanjay Sinha

The growth and replication of cardiomyocytes derived from stem cells is insufficient to permit regeneration of functioning heart tissue. In this study, the authors used stem cell-derived epicardial cells to facilitate myocardial regeneration. Tissues from such stem cells enhance the structure and function of heart muscle by improving contractility, calcium handling, and myofibril structure. In a rat heart model, this intervention produced functional improvements for up to three months.