Optimizing cardiac cell therapy: From processing to delivery Gilbert H.L. Tang, MD, Shafie Fazel, MD, MSc, Richard D. Weisel, MD, Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, Ren-Ke Li, MD, PhD  The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  Volume 130, Issue 4, Pages 966-968 (October 2005) DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2005.05.047 Copyright © 2005 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 Enhanced cell transplantation increases number of engrafted cells by reducing apoptosis. Photomicrographs of cultured rat smooth muscle cells labeled with green fluorescent reagent (Cell Tracker Green; Cambrex Corporation, East Rutherford, NJ) in cryoinjured rat myocardium 1 week after transplantation. Hearts with insulin growth factor 1–transfected cells (A, original magnification 100×) or untransfected cells (B, original magnification 100×) were sectioned and underwent terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (red) for apoptotic cells (white arrows). Blue areas represent 4,6-diaminidino-2-phenylindole staining of nuclei of all cells in field. Green areas (further indicated by green arrows) represent Green Cell Tracker staining of surviving implanted cells. Fewer implanted cells were apoptotic (red) in insulin growth factor 1–transfected group than in control group.13 Enhanced cell transplantation may be necessary to restore myocardial function after cardiac injury. (Reproduced with permission from Liu TB, Fedak PW, Weisel RD, Yasuda T, Kiani G, Mickle DA, et al. Enhanced IGF-1 expression improves smooth muscle cell engraftment after cell transplantation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004;287:2840-9. Used with permission.) The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2005 130, 966-968DOI: (10.1016/j.jtcvs.2005.05.047) Copyright © 2005 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions