Cardiovascular problems - the most common cause of death for residents of Earth
American biologists for the first time in the world have created an artificial heart reprogrammed stem cells of human, using purified from cells of mouse heart as a "skeleton" of the future body, reported the journal Nature Communications.
According to the World Health Organization cardiovascular problems are the most common cause of death for residents of Earth. In 2008, for instance, over 17 million people have died of a heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases, and by 2030 the number could rise to 23 million.
Lei Yang of the University of Pittsburgh (USA) and his colleagues have made a big step towards reducing mortality from heart disease, having received a heart from reprogrammed stem cells to person.
Key step towards solving this problem was the creation of a special "blanks" - MCP-cells capable of becoming three key tissues of the heart - smooth muscle of vessel walls and in the so-called. cardiomyocytes, the core muscles of the body.
Another important component of the methodology Lei Yang and his colleagues is the "skeleton" of the heart, which is made from an old organ. For this purpose, researchers have handled it with a combination of chemicals that destroy cells and are left only locking them "skeleton." Then the "template" has been filled with cells - "preformed" and special preparations regulating their height. For the week the majority of these cells infiltrated "template" and is attached to it. 20 days give a "skeleton" has become a full heart, passed through itself and blood shortened to 40-50 times per minute.
A further task of scientists is to test whether they can use this method to obtain the part of the human myocardium.