Engineered stem cells may improve cardiac function after heart attack

Washington, July 21 (ANI): Genetically engineered stem cells have been shown to reduce organ damage and improve cardiac function after a heart attack, according to a new animal study.

The study was led by Matthias Siepe, assistant professor and staff surgeon at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medical University Center in Freiburg, Germany and his colleagues.

The team aimed to determine what role cytokines - substances secreted by cells that have an effect on other cells - might play following a heart attack.

The researchers implanted rats each with tiny polyurethane scaffolds seeded with different genetically engineered stem cells.

The results revealed significant improvements in blood pressure function in the rats implanted with scaffolds seeded with the genetically engineered stem cells.

And, blood dynamics were stable in rats that received scaffolds with unmodified stem cells. (ANI)