Researchers in Japan have managed to create a stem cell treatment that repairs damage to the heart caused by heart disease. The treatment uses lab-grown stem cells to repair damage to the heart muscle.

The treatment has been successfully used to treat monkeys who have had a heart attack and will now advance to the next stage of clinical trials. It is the first time researchers have successfully used stem cells for heart disease.

Scientists from Shinshu University created stem cells from the skin cells of a macaque, before using those stem cells for heart disease treatment in other monkeys. These artificially generated stem cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). They are capable of turning into a variety of other cells including skin, muscle and nerve cells.

The monkey’s immune systems tolerated the stem cell treatment and within a few days the cells were actively repairing heart tissue. The researchers monitored the monkeys for 12 weeks and found that the stem cells repaired about 16% of the damage to the monkey’s hearts. Their hearts also began to pump more efficiently.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death around the world and is responsible for an estimated 17.3 million deaths annually. Being able to use stem cells for heart disease treatments has the potential to save millions of lives each year.

Currently, the only option for patients with severe heart disease is a heart transplant.  If this new stem cell treatment comes to fruition, heart disease could be addressed with a simple non-invasive procedure.

Source: Stem Cells: A Revolution in Heart Disease Treatment?

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