<b>August 20 2003</b> – NEW YORK – Geron Corp Wednesday said it had successfully transplanted heart muscle cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the hearts of rats and that the human cells appeared to be dividing and forming new heart tissue in the rodents. The Menlo Park, California-based biotech firm said the human heart cells were transplanted into healthy rats, but that other studies will test whether such transplanted human cells can help animals that have suffered heart attacks.
"These results exemplify one of the basic advantages of using human embryonic stem cell-derived cells for tissue engineering — namely their ability to re-create the natural developmental biology of new tissue formation," Geron Chief Executive Officer Thomas Okarma said in a statement.
The company said an analysis of the mature grafted tissue indicated the researchers transplanted only human heart cells to the rats, and no other types of human tissue cells.
Geron said it had presented data from its study at a meeting of the American Heart Association.
