Cardiac stem cells: A promising treatment option for heart failure (Review)

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world. The development of heart failure is mainly due to the loss of cardiomyocytes following myocardial infarction and the absence of endogenous myocardial repair. Numerous studies have focused on cardiac stem cells (CSCs) due to their therapeutic benefit, particularly in the treatment of heart failure. It has previously been demonstrated that CSCs are able to promote the regeneration of cardiomyocytes in animals following myocardial infarction. However, the underlying mechanism(s) remain unclear. This review mainly discusses the cardioprotective effect of CSCs and the effect of CSCs on the function of cardiomyocytes, and compares the efficacies of CSCs from rats, mice and humans, thereby contributing to an improved understanding of CSCs as a promising treatment option for heart failure.