Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
09:16
Suppression of Pro-fibrotic Signaling Potentiates Factor-mediated Reprogramming of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts into Induced Cardiomyocytes
Published on: June 3, 2018
7.8K
Rejuvenating the senescent heart
Nathalie Nguyen1, Mark A Sussman
1Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA.
Current Opinion in Cardiology
|March 12, 2015
Summary
Aging impairs cardiac stem cells, challenging their use in heart failure therapy. Strategies like genetic modification and novel cell delivery aim to rejuvenate these cells for improved cardiac repair.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cardiac stem cells (CSCs) were initially thought to be resistant to aging.
- Emerging evidence shows that CSC properties are significantly altered with age.
- This age-related decline impacts their therapeutic potential for heart conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated review of the cardiac stem cell field, focusing on the impact of aging.
- To explore strategies for rejuvenating aging cardiac stem cells and the senescent heart.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on cardiac stem cells and aging.
- Analysis of strategies for enhancing aged CSC function.
- Discussion of novel cell-based therapies and environmental modifications.
Main Results:
- Cardiac stem cells, like other stem cells, are susceptible to aging effects.
- Age-related changes in CSCs necessitate new therapeutic approaches.
- Autologous stem cell-based therapy for heart failure requires improved strategies to overcome aging limitations.
Conclusions:
- Genetic modification of adult human cardiac progenitor cells is a promising strategy.
- Next-generation stem cell delivery systems, including CardioChimeras and CardioClusters, offer potential benefits.
- Improving the myocardial environment with rejuvenating factors is crucial for effective cardiac repair.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
1.5K
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
1.5K
01:27Heart Failure I: Introduction
1.3K
Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
1.3K
01:22Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies
610
Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
610
01:30Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
805
Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by ventricular chamber dilation and contractile dysfunction.EtiologyVarious factors can cause DCM, including hypertension and heavy alcohol intake, which contribute to the weakening and enlargement of the heart muscle. Viral infections, such as Coxsackievirus B, adenoviruses, and influenza, can lead to DCM by causing inflammation and damage to heart tissue. Certain chemotherapeutic agents, including daunorubicin,...
805
01:33Whole Body Regeneration
4.7K
Regeneration is the process of restoring injured or lost tissues, organs, or body parts. While simpler organisms generally show greater ability to regenerate their whole body, few complex animals show similarly exceptional regeneration. For example, planarian flatworms have a unique regenerative potential making them a popular study organism among biologists to understand the mechanisms of whole body regeneration. Other organisms, such as hydra, also show extreme regeneration potential;...
4.7K
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
4.8K
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
4.8K