Role of Prokineticin in Epicardial Progenitor Cell Differentiation to Regenerate Heart

Over the last decade, stem/progenitor-cell therapy has emerged as an innovative approach to provide cardiac repair and regeneration (Zimmermann, et al., 2006). Several stemand progenitor-cell types from autologous and allogeneic donors have been analyzed to find the most appropriate candidate. Although embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate into most cardiac cell types (Mummery, et al., 2002) , their clinical use is severely limited due to ethical concerns and immunogenic and teratogenic side effects (Blum and Benvenisty, 2008). Adult bone marrow-derived stem cells avoid the ethical and clinical issues associated with ES cells (Bianco, et al., 2001). However, animal studies have demonstrated a variable degree of cardiomyogenesis, and improvement in heart function by bone marrow-derived stem cells (Murry, et al., 2004). Thus, the utility of adult bone marrow-derived stem cells is hampered by their limited population size and restricted potential for cardiovascular differentiation (Assmus, et al., 2010).