Figure E9.

Candidate pathways by which the omentum might protect the heart after cardio-omentopexy. The omentum might secrete paracrine factors to mobilize cardioprotective endothelial cells (ECs) during angiogenesis. Alternatively, such factors might trigger reparative macrophages (Mɸs) in the heart. It is unclear if such macrophages originate from the omentum, the circulation, or are resident in the heart. Another scenario is that the omentum might mobilize protective progenitor cells (PCs). CM, Cardiomyocyte.