Stem cells might make good heart cells

Davis, Calif. -- U.S. scientists have found the first functional evidence that heart cells from embryonic stem cells exhibit what's called excitation-contraction coupling.

University of California-Davis scientists said their finding is important because excitation-contraction coupling is one of the most critical properties of mature adult heart cells.

That, they said, gives hope such cells can one day be coaxed into becoming functionally viable cells, safe for transplantation into the damaged hearts of patients and potentially avoiding the necessity of a heart transplant.

"Previous experiments were able to derive heart cells from human embryonic stem cells," said Associate Professor Ronald Li, the study's senior author.

"But those cells always remained too immature to be of any therapeutic use and actually could cause lethal arrhythmias in animal models.

"Now, what we've been able to do is push the therapeutic potential of human embryonic stem cells further, so that eventually they might be used safely, and with enhanced efficacy, in transplantation cases."
The findings are reported in the December issue of the journal Stem Cells.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.