How to Improve the Survival of Transplanted Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Ischemic Heart?

Figure 1

Schematic cartoon to illustrate the strategies to improve survival of MSC in ischemic myocardium. MSC can be either pretreated by hypoxia/cytokine or genetically modified before delivery to myocardium. Hydrogel/polymer with suspended MSC forms a semigrid scaffold when injected into the myocardium, which improves cell retention. MSC can be also seeded on biocompatible patch or form cell layer by culturing in thermosensitive dish; both of them can be deposited or sutured onto the epicardium of the infarcted area. Combined with another cell type (CSC, Treg cell) or medicine/compound (statin), they improve the survival of MSC.