Can Stem Cells Heal a Broken Heart?

mouse heart stem cell

Can Stem Cells Heal a Broken Heart? At University College in London, scientists are optimistic about a new procedure that could help the heart heal itself after a heart attack.

The discover focuses on a newly identified source of dormant stem cells in the epicardium, a layer of the sac surrounding the heart. They found that a naturally occurring peptide called “thymosin beta-4” could stimulate these dormant stem cells, causing them to repair damage to the heart.

So far the treatment has shown promise in tests on mice, with the mice receiving injections of thymosin beta-4 regrowing more heart muscle from their own stem cells than the mice who didn’t.

If further research goes well, scientists envision that a pill could be developed that contains the thymosin beta-4 protein. This pill could be given to patients at risk of a heart attack or suffering from unstable angina (a form of chest pain that results from the heart not receiving enough oxygen) to help them better recover from a possible heart attack in the future.

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