Current perspective of stem cells in the treatment of heart failure.

The article discusses advances in basic and translational research concerning stem cell therapy in cardiovascular disease. They include clinical trials on the transplantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells and its sub- groups such as hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells in cardiac disease. Another is research where stem cells were first in vitro differentiated into cardiomyocytes and then transplanted into failing animal heart.