Abstract
See article by Bruel et al. [4] (pages 400–408) in this issue. The classic mythological tale of the crimes of Prometheus in gifting mortal men with, among other things, the divine fire, serves to remind us never to anger anyone as powerful as Zeus. For his efforts, Prometheus was shackled to a mountain to be tormented daily by Zeus' pet eagle who, according to legend, preferred liver. Each subsequent evening, Prometheus' tissues regenerated, and the cycle of mechanical destruction and regeneration would repeat ad nauseum until finally Zeus regained a modicum of calm and released him. What is possibly more fascinating (and certainly much less gruesome) – the notion of rebuilding or regenerating the myocardium following either catastrophic myocyte loss (as in myocardial infarction or MI) or in progressive loss of contractile cells in various progressive cardiomyopathies – has long intrigued both clinical and basic investigators in cardiology and is currently stirring a considerable degree of interest and effort. In this vein a number of exciting developments have come to pass within the past 2years that deserve comment. New myocytes in the heart: stem cells vs. stimulation of primordial cells. The putative “carrot” within the approach of cardiac regeneration includes the reversal of … *Tel.: +1 204 235 3419. idixon{at}sbrc.ca
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