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An emerging consensus on cardiac regeneration

Nature Medicine volume 20, pages 1386–1393 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Cardiac regeneration is a rapidly evolving and controversial field of research. The identification some 12 years ago of progenitor cells that reside within the heart spurred enthusiasm for cell-based regenerative therapies. However, recent evidence has called into question both the presence of a biologically important stem cell population in the heart and the ability of exogenously derived cells to promote regeneration through direct formation of new cardiomyocytes. Here, we discuss recent developments that suggest an emerging consensus on the ability of different cell types to regenerate the adult mammalian heart.

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Figure 1: Genetic lineage tracing approaches to assess cardiomyocyte renewal.

Katie Vicari/Nature Publishing Group

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (to J.H.v.B and J.D.M.). J.D.M. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Jop H van Berlo

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Jeffery D Molkentin

  3. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Jeffery D Molkentin

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Correspondence to Jop H van Berlo or Jeffery D Molkentin.

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van Berlo, J., Molkentin, J. An emerging consensus on cardiac regeneration. Nat Med 20, 1386–1393 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3764

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