A combo of stem cells may be beneficial after a heart attack: study

London: The researchers discovered that a combination of heart cells derived from human stem cells could help repair the damage caused by a heart attack. In a study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, a team led by a researcher of Indian origin noted that by transplanting an area of ​​damaged tissue with a combination of cardiac muscle cells and supporting cells taken from the outer layer of the heart wall, they may be able to repair damaged hearts.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Washington, used complementary epicardial cells developed from human stem cells to help grafted heart cells live longer.

They used 3D human heart tissue grown in the laboratory from human stem cells to test the cell combination, concluding that the epicardial cells of support helped the heart muscle cells to grow and mature. The study showed an improvement in the cardiac muscle cell's ability to contract and relax. In heart-damaged rats, the combination restored heart muscle cells and lost blood vessels.

"In the UK, hundreds of thousands of people suffer from heart failure, many of whom are in a race against time for a heart transplant that saves lives, but with only about 200 transplants performed every year in the UK, it is essential to start finding alternative treatments, "said one of the study's leaders, Sanjay Sinha, a researcher funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) of the University of Cambridge.

The researchers hope that by harnessing the regenerative power of stem cells, they will one day be able to cure human hearts by using a patient's cells.

"When it comes to repairing broken hearts, stem cells are not yet living up to their promises, and we hope these latest researches will mark a turning point in the use of these remarkable cells," said Nilesh Samani. , medical director. at BHF.