Optimized Method to Determine Infarct Size and Stem Cell Engraftment in Rodent Hearts Subjected to Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Introduction and aims: Cell therapy is a promising approach to treat myocardial infarction (MI). Infarct size (IS) measurement is the best method to quantify myocardial damage. A reliable and easy method to estimate IS and a reproducible way to track the fate of the injected cells are of pivotal importance to determine the efficacy of cell therapy. Accordingly, we aimed to optimize a method allowing quantification of both IS and cell engraftment on the same heart.