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University of Munich; Embryonic Stem Cells May Be Used to Treat Chronic Heart Failure
Biotech Week
29 March 2006
2006 MAR 29 - (NewsRx.com) -- Embryonic stem cells may be used to treat chronic heart failure.
"An increasing number of patients survives acute myocardial infarction and reaches the stage of chronic heart failure, but today therapeutic possibilities in end stage of heart failure are limited because of a lack of donor organs. Stem cell therapy is a promising new therapeutic strategy," investigators in Germany report.
According to H.D. Theiss and colleagues at the University of Munich, "In first clinical studies feasibility and efficacy of catheter-based application or cytokine-induced mobilization of autologous stem cells have been examined in acute myocardial infarction and in chronic heart failure.
"While efficacy of autologous stem cells is uncertain and potential of regeneration might be to low, embryonic stem cells could represent another important option in future: because of pluripotency and a high potential of proliferation embryonic stem cells are the optimal resource for tissue engineering."
"Heart tissue which was generated in vitro could be transplanted in patients with chronic heart failure to increase cardiac function. Whereas adult stem cells are applied in first clinical studies in myocardial infarction," said the authors, "embryonic stem cells are not clinically used yet"
Theiss concluded, "Nevertheless, embryonic stem cells might play an important role in therapy of chronic heart failure in future."
Theiss and colleagues published their study in Medizinische Klinik (Stem cell therapy in chronic heart failure. Med Klin (Munich), 2006;101(1):77-81).
For additional information, contact W.M. Franz, University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, Med Klin & Poliklin 1, Marchioninistr 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany.
The publisher of the journal Medizinische Klinik can be contacted at: Urban & Vogel, Neumarkter Strasse 43, D-81673 Munich, Germany.
Keywords: Munich, Germany, Chronic Heart Failure, Embryonic Stem Cells, Cell Therapy, Regeneration.
This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com.
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