Stem cell therapy as a new treatment for chronic heart failure

In recent years, compelling evidence has been accumulated suggesting that the myocardial tissue has exogenous and/or endogenous regenerative potential. The observation of stem cells in the adult heart and the demonstration that cardiac regeneration exists have changed the previously accepted paradigm that considered the adult mammalian heart as a postmitotic organ, thus starting a new field of research in cardiovascular disease treatment. For years, circumscribed to basic research and preclinical studies, this new therapeutic approach has translated to the clinical scenario, giving rise to several clinical trials of stem cell therapy in humans that intend to assess its safety, feasibility and efficacy in terms of myocardial regeneration. In this paper we summarize the available evidence in stem cell therapy for chronic heart failure, including the historic background, the different types of stem cells and routes of delivery, and also the clinical trials published so far.