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The mammalian adult heart has a very limited regenerative capacity, which explains the high morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease. Cell therapy has emerged as an attractive strategy for cardiac repair, but the efficacy of this therapeutic option remains controversial. A new study using a mouse model of myocardial infarction shows that, after injection, Caudal-type homeobox-2 (Cdx2) fetal cells isolated from end-gestation placenta can home to the injured heart and differentiate into cardiomyocytes and blood vessels, resulting in improved cardiac contractility. Cdx2 cells, which also showed the potential to evade host immune surveillance, might therefore represent a promising new cell source for cell therapy for cardiac repair.
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Le Bras, A. Fetal cells repair the adult heart. Lab Anim 48, 198 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-019-0340-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-019-0340-8