Embryonic Cardiomyocyte, but Not Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation, Restricts Infarct Expansion, Enhances Ventricular Function, and Improves Long-Term Survival

Abstract

Cellular cardiomyoplasty employing contractile and electrically coupling embryonic cardiomyocytes (eCMs) into ischemic myocardium provoked significantly smaller infarcts with less adverse remodeling and improved cardiac function and long-term survival compared to transplantation of somatic cells (SMs and MSCs), thereby proving that a cardiomyocyte phenotype is important to restore myocardial function.