FIG. 3.

Cardiac functional recovery after cell-sheet transplantation. (A) Echocardiographic analysis. Fractional shortening, ejection fraction, and anterior wall thickness were significantly improved 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after cell-sheet transplantation in the SMB+MSC sheet group, compared with the other three groups. Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters in the SMB+MSC sheet group were significantly decreased 4, 6, and 8 weeks after cell-sheet transplantation, compared with the other three groups (N=10 in each group. SMB+MSC group, green line; SMB group, blue line; MSC group, pink line; control group, red line). (B) Hemodynamic measurements determined by cardiac catheterization (n=10 in each group). Max. and min. dP/dt and ESPVR significantly improved in the SMB+MSC group, compared with the other three groups. Max. dP/dt, maximal rate of change in left ventricular pressure; min. dP/dt, minimal rate of change in left ventricular pressure; ESPVR, end-systolic pressure-volume relationship; EDPVR, end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship; τ, active part of relaxation shown by the relaxation time constant. N=10 in each group. *p<0.05 versus SMB-only cell sheet. ^†p<0.05 versus MSC-only cell sheet. ^‡p<0.05 versus control. n.s., not significant. Error bars=SD. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tea