Heart patients in Texas will be receiving infusions of their own adult stem cells found in fat, as a method of helping to regenerate damaged heart tissue. This technique has shown good results in animal studies and at least one study in Spain. Let us hope that the 30 initial patients thrive and that our own fat becomes a source of powerful medicine.
(Memo to self: This potential breakthrough is not to be used as an excuse for eating that dish of ice cream to make sure I have enough adult stem cells to care for me if I ever have a heart attack.)