Non-embryonic stem cell breakthroughs continue at a breakneck pace. This one is a possible use of cells already in the heart which are switched to stem cells without removing them from the body for the conversion procedure. A promise of
heart regeneration with a mere injection of a conversion soup seems incredible, but now possible.
”In as little as five years, researchers hope to be able to coax the heart into regenerating itself, repairing the damage caused by cardiac arrests and old age.
The revolutionary treatment could be possible after scientists discovered a technique for turning ordinary connective tissue into muscle cells inside the heart.
It works in a similar way to stem cells but instead of the new cells being grown outside the body and then injected back in, the technique simply makes the cells switch at the point where they are needed.”
And,
”The team found that they needed a combination of just three substance – Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 – to efficiently convert fibroblasts into cells that could beat like cardiomyocytes.
One day after the three factors were introduced into mouse hearts, fibroblasts turned into cardiomyocyte-like cells within the beating heart. Up to 20 per cent eventually made the switch.
‘The ability to reprogram fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes has many therapeutic implications,’ explained Dr. Srivastava who published his findings in the journal Cell.
‘Half of the cells in the heart are fibroblasts, so the ability to call upon this reservoir of cells already in the organ to become beating heart cells has tremendous promise for cardiac regeneration.’ “.
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