Preclinical animal models for testing iPSC/ESC-based heart therapy

Embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell (ESC/iPSC) technologies offer an unprecedented possibility of devising cell replacement therapies for numerous disorders, including cardiovascular diseases. Studies are progressively investigating whether ESC or iPSC can serve to restore physiological function of diseased hearts in vivo. However, the animal model, the population of ESC/iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and the delivery technique need to be optimized before these cells can be used effectively for cell replacement therapy. In this review, we describe the potential applications, limitations and challenges of iPSC- and ESC-based heart therapies in preclinical animal models.