Human Cord Blood Stem Cells Enhance Neonatal Right Ventricular Function in an Ovine Model of Right Ventricular Training

Abstract

Background: Nonischemic right ventricular dysfunction and cardiac failure is a source of considerable morbidity in children with congenital heart disease. Cell transplantation has not previously been studied in the pediatric setting in which enhancing ventricular function in response to supraphysiologic workloads might be beneficial. Methods: Engraftment and differentiation of human cord blood stem cells were studied in an immunosuppressed neonatal ovine model of right ventricular training. Week-old sheep underwent pulmonary artery banding and epicardial injection of cord blood stem cells (n = 8) or pulmonary artery banding and placebo injection (n = 8). Control groups received cord blood st..