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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Scientists Find 'Master' Cells For Human Heart

Stem cells can mature into three different kinds of heart tissue

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(Newser) – Researchers have found a cell that can become three different kinds of heart tissue, the Boston Globe reports. Harvard scientists hope that such “master” heart cells can be used to grow tissue so that researchers can perform experiments or test medications on human heart tissue, instead of animal substitutes.

Researchers could “add one drug, two drugs, or all combinations of drugs a heart patient would take” to test effectiveness and toxicity, one researcher says. Because pharmaceutical firms could immediately perform tests on human tissue, they could skip costly animal trials—the results of which don’t always apply to humans. They would also be alerted to potential side effects before starting clinical trials on patients.

A doctor points out one of the three major coronary arteries using a model of the human heart in this 2002 file photo, with the pink tubes depicting a heart after bypass surgery.
A doctor points out one of the three major coronary arteries using a model of the human heart in this 2002 file photo, with the pink tubes depicting a heart after bypass surgery.   (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
The human heart is seen in this artist's illustration.
The human heart is seen in this artist's illustration.   (Wikimedia Commons)
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Since these cells are entirely human, you can use this system to study the role of specific genes in human heart disease, and as ways to screen drugs for cardiotoxicity and for therapeutic effect.
- Dr. Kenneth R. Chien, Harvard Stem Cell Institute

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UrUndertaker
Jul 1, 09 3:08 PM CDT
Took man years to get this far Reply
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Derni
Jul 1, 09 3:23 PM CDT
science keeps on giving us hope-now if we could age and still get around that would be the fountain of youth Reply
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Antiks
Jul 2, 09 1:01 AM CDT
Nuclear bombs, brought to you by science, now there's hope. Reply
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nathanielfoster
Jul 2, 09 8:48 AM CDT
Nuclear Bombs, brought to you by Humans Using Science. There is no little old man named Science who comes up with this stuff. It's all humans folks. Reply
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