The EMBO journal
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Patient-derived tumour xenografts and tumour organoids have become important preclinical model systems for cancer research. Both models maintain key features from their parental tumours, such as genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity, which allows them to be used for a wide spectrum of applications. ⋯ On the other hand, xenografts retain tumour-stroma interactions, which are known to contribute to tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss recent advances in patient-derived tumour xenograft and tumour organoid model systems and compare their promises and challenges as preclinical models in cancer research.
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The latest discoveries and advanced knowledge in the fields of stem cell biology and developmental cardiology hold great promise for cardiac regenerative medicine, enabling researchers to design novel therapeutic tools and approaches to regenerate cardiac muscle for diseased hearts. However, progress in this arena has been hampered by a lack of reproducible and convincing evidence, which at best has yielded modest outcomes and is still far from clinical practice. To address current controversies and move cardiac regenerative therapeutics forward, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of the key cellular and molecular programs involved in human cardiogenesis and cardiac regeneration. In this review, we consider the fundamental principles that govern the "programming" and "reprogramming" of a human heart cell and discuss updated therapeutic strategies to regenerate a damaged heart.