Heart failure after myocardial infarction is the first cause of death in west countries. Stem cells could ameliorate this process by inducing neoangiogenesis and/or cardiac myocytes regeneration. This thesis focused on two crucial topics: drug mediated stem cell recruitment and safety issues related to stem cell transplantation. The effects of stem cells mobilization and cardiac recruitment induced by Erythropoietin through the activation of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis were examined. The safety of mesenchymal stem cells intraarterial transplantation and ex-vivo expansion were investigated.
