Adult stem cells for cardiac tissue engineering

► Adult stem cells for cardiac tissue engineering hold high clinical applicability. ► This strategy enhances cell retention and angiogenesis in the ischemic myocardium. ► Positive effects are due to paracrine mechanisms rather than cardiac differentiation. ► Only few clinical trials have tested ASC derived grafts for myocardial repair. ► Drawbacks related to graft's size and implantation risks still need to be addressed.