Mesenchymal stem cell and bone marrow mononuclear cell therapy for cardiomyopathy: From bench to bedside

To date, stem cell-based therapies for cardiac diseases have not achieved any significant clinical accomplishment. Globally, numerous patients are currently treated with autologous stem cells. The safety and practicality of this technique have been well-examined, its disadvantages have been recognized, and many trials have been proposed. Inadequate description of the implemented cell types, a variety of cell-handling proficiencies, and concerning factors related to autologous stem cells have been known as the central elements restricting the approval of cell-based therapies. The idea that bone marrow (BM)-derived cells could be applied to regenerate and cure damage in various organs is the basis for bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMNC) therapy for heart disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a part of the BMMNCs; on one hand, they have the capability to differentiate into various tissues, and, on the other, their immunomodulatory effects have been considered and clinically confirmed in different experiments. In this review, we summarize the knowledge obtained by trials in which mesenchymal cell-based therapy has been practiced. Furthermore, we accentuate the developments in the purification and lineage specification of MSCs as well as BMMNCs that have influenced the progress of future stem cell-based therapies with special attention on cardiovascular disease.