ENDOTHELIAL COLONY-FORMING CELL-DERIVED EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES AND CARDIAC REPAIR AFTER MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Despite improvements in therapeutics, ischemic heart disease remains a leading cause of death. Cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI), predominantly due to loss of cardiomyocytes and coronary vasculature, leads to a progressive decline in cardiac function resulting in heart failure. Current therapies for cardiac repair and heart failure are of limited benefit. Cell transplantation therapy upon MI is a very promising therapeutic strategy to replace dead myocardium, reducing scarring and improving cardiac performance.