Title:Intervention for Cardiac Repair: A Clinical Perspective
Volume: 12
Issue: 4
Author(s): Esther Hui Na Tan, Zhe Yuan Tay and Boon Seng Soh*
Affiliation:
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology - Stem Cell, Regenerative Medicine And Ageing Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore,Singapore
Keywords:
Ischemic heart disease, molecular intervention, cellular based intervention, reprogramming, scaffold, tissue engineering.
Abstract: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Damage to the heart
resulting from cardiovascular disease leads to gradual loss of function and reduced quality of life. Cardiac
injury is particularly debilitating, more so than injury to any other organ, given our current inability to
either generate new and functional cardiac tissue or to mimic the actions of the heart using external devices.
Advances in the field of stem cells and genetics have paved the way for the development of a variety
of novel therapies. A number of these therapies have shown great promise in regenerating cardiac
tissue in non-human disease models and some have progressed towards clinical trials. Given the rapid
progress and emergence of novel targets for therapy, it is perhaps timely that we assess the practicality of
these techniques and their potential for translation to bedside. Hence, this review aims to outline the major
therapies in development and to provide insight into the feasibility of the respective techniques with the
hope that research can be steered towards developing therapies with greater potential of being employed
at the bedside.
