autologous skeletal myoblast cell sheet

Autologous skeletal myoblast cell sheets are a regenerative medicine therapy developed for the treatment of severe heart failure, particularly ischemic cardiomyopathy. The therapy involves harvesting skeletal muscle tissue from the patient's own thigh, from which myoblasts are isolated and expanded in vitro. These cells are then cultured on temperature-responsive culture dishes to form scaffold-free, thin cell sheets. During a surgical procedure, multiple sheets are transplanted onto the epicardial surface of the failing heart. The primary mechanism of action is paracrine; the transplanted myoblasts secrete a variety of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). These factors promote angiogenesis, reduce myocardial fibrosis, and stimulate the native cardiac tissue's repair mechanisms, leading to improved left ventricular function and clinical symptoms. The product was the first regenerative medicine therapy to receive conditional and time-limited approval in Japan.

Brand names

HeartSheet

Other names

Skeletal myoblast sheetAutologous skeletal myoblast-derived cell sheet