Rebuilding the Infarcted Heart PDF

Preface

The infarcted heart heals by scar formation, and large myocardial infarctions typically result in heart failure. Although cardiomyocyte cell cycle activity is present at the border zone of an infarct, and adult stem cells with the capacity to transform into various cardiac cell types and to secrete cardioprotective cytokines have been identified, the endogenous repair mechanisms in the adult heart are not sufficient to reverse the damage after large myocardial infarctions. These observations, however, suggest that it may be feasible to develop interventions aimed at enhancing these processes, and, in effect, to rebuild the infarcted heart. While aspects of this concept are currently being tested in pre-clinical studies as well as in clinical trials, much remains to be learned about the biological basis of cardiac repair and regeneration.

This book brings together a panel of renowned experts to share their experiences and ideas on this rapidly evolving field in Cardiovascular Medicine. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the authors for their valuable input into this project. We hope that readers from both basic science and clinical science backgrounds will find the book useful. We anticipate that ongoing research into the basic foundations of stem cell biology and cell cycle control, and the possible clinical applications of cell therapy, may lead to new treatments for congestive heart failure patients.