New regenerative therapies are currently being developed by the bioengineers at the University of California in San Diego. This can greatly influence “the way in which regenerative therapies for cardiovascular and other diseases are treated in the future.”

At the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), new research was presented regarding the use of adult stem cells to regenerate heart tissue in environments that mimic a human post-heart attack.

Since some 900,000 from the United States die of heart diseases each year, researchers became adamant in finding new ways for regenerative therapies that include “injection of adult stem cells into the scarred heart muscle that results from a heart attack.” Called cellular cardiomyplasty, this relies on injected stem cells to become cardiac muscle.

But because some stem cells do not become cardiac muscle when injected to stiff, scarred, post-heart attack muscle, the UC San Diego suggested the use of cells in a supportive material that can change stiffness with time.

To prevent such condition, it was found out that cells have to be cultured in the appropriate physical conditions that mimic embryonic tissue progression.

Although researchers remain vague on the components of the said supportive material, they said that the new research may have a profound impact on cardiovascular engineering.