Cell therapy for cardiovascular disease

Advances in diagnosis and treatment have dramatically impacted morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease over the past several decades. ¹ The discovery in 1960 of stem cells capable of regeneration and repair sparked interest in a new mode of therapy for heart disease beyond pharmaceuticals and cardiac devices.² Over the past 10 years, work has focused on five key cell types - the endothelial mononuclear progenitor cell, the autologous skeletal myoblast, the allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell, the resident cardiac stem cell, and the human embryonic stem cell - as potential therapeutic agents, which may further contribute to gains in treating cardiovascular disease. This chapter aims to review these cell types, their preclinical underpinnings, the nascent clinical studies, and limitations observed in their use.