GENETIC engineering can keep adult stem cells alive long enough to repair damaged hearts. But it is not yet clear how the approach could be turned into a practical treatment for the millions who suffer heart attacks each year.
A few small trials on humans have already shown that injecting adult stem cells into the bloodstream after a bypass operation can produce some improvements in heart function (New Scientist, 11 January, p 14). But most of the cells die before they can do any good. Several animal experiments, says Victor Dzau of Harvard Medical School, have found that virtually…
