Lab-grown heart cells successfully implanted into human

Scientists in Japan have successfully tested a new regenerative medicine technology to treat damaged hearts by transplanting lab-grown heart cells into a human patient. A new method of treating the heart uses the incredible potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), which can develop into essentially any cell type in the body.

Professor Yoshiki Sawa at Osaka University in Japan has developed a technique to turn IPSCs into gundreds millions heart muscle cells, which can be grafted onto the damaged heart to promote regeneration of its muscles. The sheets of IPSCs cells encourage new formation of healthy vessels and boost cardiac function.

This new method of repairing a damaged heart will help patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy, that significantly weakens the muscles.