Adipose Tissue-derived Stem Cells: The Friendly Side of a Classic Cardiovascular Foe

Recently, the existence of a population of stem cells located in the adipose tissue has been observed. Adipose-derived stem cells are able to differentiate into multiple cell lineages including cardiac myocytes. Hence, adipose-derived cells are emerging as a new source of adult stem cells for cardiovascular repair. In this review, we discuss the basic principles of adipose-derived stem cells (types and characteristics, obtention processes, immunophenotypic characterization, and cell potency), the initial experimental studies, and the currently ongoing clinical trials.