Myocardial tissue engineering (MTE), a concept that intends to prolong patients’ life after cardiac damage by supporting or restoring heart function, is continuously improving. Common MTE strategies include an engineered ‘vehicle’, which may be a porous scaffold or a dense substrate or patch, made of either natural or synthetic polymeric materials. The function of the substrate is to aid transportation of cells into the diseased region of the heart and support their integration. This book, which contains chapters written by leading experts in MTE, gives a complete analysis of the area and presents the latest advances in the field. The chapters cover all relevant aspects of MTE strategies, including cell sources, specific TE techniques and biomaterials used. Many different cell types have been suggested for cell therapy in the framework of MTE, including autologous bone marrow-derived or cardiac progenitors, as well as embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, each having their particular advantages and disadvantages. The book covers a complete range of biomaterials, examining different aspects of their application in MTE, such as biocompatibility with cardiac cells, mechanical capability and compatibility with the mechanical properties of the native myocardium as well as degradation behaviour in vivo and in vitro. Although a great deal of research is being carried out in the field, this book also addresses many questions that still remain unanswered and highlights those areas in which further research efforts are required. The book will also give an insight into clinical trials and possible novel cell sources for cell therapy in MTE.

This Volume of the series Cardiac and Vascular Biology offers a comprehensive and exciting, state-of-the-art work on the current options and potentials of cardiac regeneration and repair. Several techniques and approaches have been developed for heart failure repair: direct injection of cells, programming of scar tissue into functional myocardium, and tissue-engineered heart muscle support. The book introduces the rationale for these different approaches in cell-based heart regeneration and discusses the most important considerations for clinical translation. Expert authors discuss when, why, and how heart muscle can be salvaged. The book represents a valuable resource for stem cell researchers, cardiologists, bioengineers, and biomedical scientists studying cardiac function and regeneration.

The term “Translational Research” reflects today’s integration of basic research (“bench”) findings with the clinical practice of medicine, and in a wider scope the application of results from the individual patient (“bedside”) to entire populations for the improvement of public health. This book offers future researchers a stimulus in many aspects of cardiovascular research, so as to promote their interest in future fields of cardiovascular disease, diagnosis and treatment. Introduction to Translational Cardiovascular Research discusses the fundamental and important aspects of the topic. It describes the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, the beta adrenergic receptors and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, while covering genetic polymorphisms both generally and specifically as regards the vascular endothelium and the use of microRNAs. As such, this book will be relevant to young physicians, nurses and other scientists engaged in the clinical cardiovascular field who want to added research-oriented dimension to their efforts towards better understanding and practicing of medicine. It also aims to attract young basic researchers who want to develop a better comprehension of the organism as a whole, man or animal, that they are investigating.

This title presents the major advances of the last decade in the field of cardiac regeneration.

Rapid advances in stem cell biology have raised exciting possibilities of replacing damaged or lost tissues and cells by activation of in vitro-expanded stem cells or their progeny. This book examines many of the unresolved problems as well as future applications of regenerative medicine. In addition to animal experiments, results of research on human tissues and organs are included.

This book is a treatise on cardiomyocytes, the most important cell for the contractile function of the heart. There has been significant progress in our understanding of the function-related structure, developmental processes and their determinants, mechanisms of cell cycle regulation, post-natal growth, energy metabolism, and reversible and irreversible response of cardiomyocytes to diverse forms of physiological stress and injury. There is also more clarity on the alterations in the biological mechanisms in cardiomyocytes that lead to pathological states and the changes in the cells that occur secondary to disease conditions. Thanks to these advances in knowledge, there have been great gains in attempts to identify disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets for better management of patients with heart diseases. Possibilities to induce regeneration or proliferation of cardiomyocytes and thus repair and or regenerate the damaged heart are also on the horizon.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardioprotection refers to the prevention of CHD and the clinical improvement in patients suffering from cardiovascular problems.

During the last two decades, stem cells have progressed from merely a concept to a vibrant field of regenerative medicine which is aimed at addressing the root cause of the problem rather than conventional methods of intervention that mostly provide symptomatic relief.Stem cell therapy either alone or in combination with the other established treatment strategies is a hope for patients who suffer from the 'incurable' diseases such as Alzheimer, diabetes, myocardial infarction etc. Besides aspirations in the clinical perspective, stem cells provide excellent in vitro disease models for drug development.Given the significance of the field, the proposed book will be a compilation of the bench experience of experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of stem cell research.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.