Stem cell technology to repair damaged hearts

Mar 25, 2012 - Syed Akbar |

Hyderabad

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In what is a great boon for medical science, stem cell technology now makes it possible to repair heart tissue damaged by myocardial infarction, commonly known as heart attack, according to a top researcher.

Accordingly, there is no need to cut open the chest to gain access to the heart muscle. Heart cells, cultured in laboratory using stem cells, can be implanted in heart through a catheter from one of the arms, and patients can go home the same day, eminent scientist Prof. Stephen Minger said here on Saturday.

Prof. Minger, who heads global research and development at GE Healthcare, UK, explained that heart attack occurs if blood supply to the heart is stopped for a long time, and the damaged tissue can now be repaired with stem cell technology.

India, with a billion-plus population, is set to play a key role in stem cells and regenerative medicine, he said. “If India and China could bank even one per cent of their annual births, they could supply stem cells to the whole world,” Prof. Minger, in the city to create awareness for public banking of cord blood, said. “It would be possible in about five years to repair heart tissue damaged by myocardial infarction and to replace neuronal cells lost in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases,” he said.

Heart cells derived from stem cells of bone marrow have been implanted successfully in a patient, and the technology is helpful in transplanting new insulin-producing cells for diabetics and myelinating cells for individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis, he said, adding, it can also help replace bone and cartilage lost through aging or inflammatory diseases.

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