THE USE OF HUMAN STEM CELLS AND/OR FACTORS THEY PRODUCE TO PROMOTE ADULT MAMMALIAN CARDIAC REPAIR THROUGH CARDIOMYOCYTE CELL DIVISION

摘要

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for stimulating the proliferation of cardiomyocytes for enhancement of cardiac repair. The invention is based on. the discovery that upon contact with stem cells, or conditioned media derived from said stem cells, terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes can be stimulated to enter the cell cycle. Additionally, scaffolds capable of attracting stem cells to the area of implantation have been shown to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation. The present invention further relates to the discovery that the Wnt-5 A ligand, which binds to the frizzled receptor (fz), functions to stimulate cardiomyocyte proliferation. The methods and compositions of the invention may be used in the treatment of cardiac disorders including, but not limited to, myocardial dysfunction or infarction. The invention further relates to screening assays designed to identify compounds that modulate the proliferative activity of cardiomyocytes and the use of such compounds in the treatment of cardiac disorders.