The Role of Large Animal Models in Cardiac Regeneration Research Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes

AbstractPurpose of ReviewHeart failure leads to high mortality. The failing myocardium cannot often be rescued as heart regeneration is mostly compromised by disease progress. Stem cell therapy is a strategy under development to replace the impaired myocardium for recovery after heart injury.Recent FindingsMany studies have provided evidence of the beneficial effects of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte (CM) implantation into diseased rodent hearts, but there are still many challenges and limitations to replicating the same effects in large animal models for preclinical validation.SummaryIn this review, we summarize progress in the use of pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs in large animal models based on three key parameters: species selection, cell source, and delivery. Most importantly, we discuss the current limitations and challenges that need to be solved to advance this technology to the translational stage.
Source: Current Cardiology Reports - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research