Regulation of Cardiomyocyte Division During Cardiac Regeneration

This review explores efforts made over the previous three decades to determine mechanisms of cardiomyocyte cell division. Many investigators have explored cell therapy strategies in animal models and clinical trials over the past 2 decades with marginal results thus far in clinical testing. Hence, there is a greater focus now on strategies to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Reports to induce reactivation of the cardiomyocyte cell cycle predated the focus on cell therapy, and we summarize the literature on this topic, which began with the very first transgenic mouse studies in cardiovascular science. These earlier studies form the foundation for the use of cell cycle manipulation in cardiac repair and should inform current and future investigations with respect to rigor of assessment in the degree of cardiomyocyte cell division and gold standard measures of cardiac functional improvement.