Figure 7.

Schematic depiction of heart aging and proposed mechanisms whereby young CDCs exert anti-senescent effects. The process of aging is depicted in the upper row. Transplanted CDCs secrete exosomes (CDC-XO) which lead to cellular rejuvenation. In the heart, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is attenuated and fibrosis is decreased, leading to improved diastolic function. Systemically, a reduction of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) contributes to systemic benefits. Although not shown here, we cannot rule out remote effects of CDCs or CDC-secreted exosomes on target tissues, independent of SASP.