New research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Mayo Clinic shows that heart muscle cells made from stem cells could help treat heart problems caused by birth defects, a condition known as congenital heart defects. These defects can lead to a condition called right ventricular dysfunction (pressure overload), which makes the heart weak and can eventually cause heart failure. This condition is prevalent in children, and many of these patients need a heart transplant as they grow older, but finding donor hearts for young patients is very difficult.
In the study, researchers used stem cells to grow heart muscle cells and transplanted them into monkeys with induced heart problems similar to those seen in congenital defects. The stem cells successfully integrated into the monkeys' hearts and helped improve heart function. While some of the monkeys experienced temporary increases in heart rate (tachycardia), these issues disappeared after a few weeks.
This research is promising because it shows that stem cell treatments could one day help delay or even prevent the need for heart transplants in children with congenital heart defects. The study paves the way for future research that could lead to new treatments for these heart conditions in humans.
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