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cardiac/heart muscle (myocardium)
Structure:
- the muscular wall of the heart located between the inner endocardial layer & the outer epicardial layer.
- the cardiac myocytes are fused multinucleated cells.
Pathology:
- it is commonly believed that cardiac muscle cannot regenerate.
- according to ref 1b, humans may have undifferentiated progenitor cells in both cardiac tissue & in circulation.
- these cells may help repair injury & may keep the myocardium healthy in the absence of overt injury.
References
- Journal Watch 22(4):27, 2002
- Quanti et al N Engl J Med 346:5, 2002
- Bolli R, N Engl J Med 346:55, 2002
Component-of
heart