Copyright
©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Cardiol. Sep 26, 2012; 4(9): 267-270
Published online Sep 26, 2012. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v4.i9.267
Published online Sep 26, 2012. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v4.i9.267
Turning scar into muscle
Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho, National Institute of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22240-006, Brazil
Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho, Adriana Bastos Carvalho, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-902, Brazil
Author contributions: de Carvalho ACC and Carvalho AB drafted and revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Antonio Carlos Campos de Carvalho, MD, PhD, Professor, National Institute of Cardiology, Rua das Laranjeiras 374, 5 andar, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22240-006, Brazil. acarlos@biof.ufrj.br
Telephone: +55-21-30372105 Fax: +55-21-30372188
Received: June 21, 2012
Revised: August 18, 2012
Accepted: August 25, 2012
Published online: September 26, 2012
Revised: August 18, 2012
Accepted: August 25, 2012
Published online: September 26, 2012
Abstract
After the demonstration that somatic cells could be reprogrammed to a pluripotent state, exciting new prospects were opened for the cardiac regeneration field. It did not take long for the development of strategies to convert somatic cells directly into cardiomyocytes. Despite the intrinsic difficulties of cell reprogramming, such as low efficiency, the therapeutic possibilities created by the ability to turn scar into muscle are enormous. Here, we discuss some of the major advances and strategies used in direct cardiac reprogramming and examine discrepancies and concerns that still need to be resolved in the field.
Keywords: Direct reprogramming, Cardiomyocytes, Induced pluripotent stem cells, Cardiac regeneration, microRNAs