Stem Cell Therapy Post-AMI

• Experimental studies suggest that bone marrow-derived stem cells can improve function of infarcted myocardium• This benefit seems to involve paracrine signalling and limitation of left ventricular remodelling rather than true regeneration of cardiomyocytes from donor cells• These experimental findings have been translated in the clinical setting into significant, although moderate, improvements in cardiac function and LV remodelling but the extent to which these benefits impact on event-free long term survival remains to be determined• Optimisation of this therapeutic strategy will require a more comprehensive characterisation of cell functionality and an improvement in the methods used in cell transfer, engraftment, survival and integration.