German researchers develop technique that transforms blood cells into cardiac muscle
Scientists at the University Center Göttingen in Germany developed a patch to treat heart failure using blood cells transformed into heart muscle cells. The advance was published in the magazine Nature this Wednesday (29.jan.2025). Here is (PDF – 16 MB).
The new technique promises to help the heart to contract more effectively, offering an alternative to heart transplants and the use of artificial heart bombs. The process involves the creation of implantable patches, produced from reprogrammed cells, which are cultivated in a collagen gel.
Devices measure 5 cm by 10 cm and are designed to be attached to the heart, assisting in their contraction. Monkey tests showed good results, without evidence of irregular heartbeat or tumor formation.
In addition, a test on a 46 -year -old patient with advanced heart failure revealed that patches survived and developed a blood supply after 3 months of implantation.
“Cardiomyocytes can be implemented to remust the heart in bankruptcy. Challenges include sufficient cardiomyocyte retention for a sustainable therapeutic impact without intolerable side effects such as arrhythmia and tumor growth ”concludes the study. “The feasibility, safety and efficacy data obtained provided the essential foundations for the approval of a first human clinical trial on cardiac repair by tissue engineering.”
