Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote myocardial regeneration and cardiac repair after miniswine acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

WJ-MSCs transplanted by a direct injection into the infarcted area could survive and differentiate into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. They also promoted recruitment and differentiation of cardiac stem cells in a porcine model with AMI. In addition, WJ-MSC transplantation reduced apoptosis and fibrosis, enhanced viable myocardium, and thus improved ventricular remodeling and function.