Therapy with mesenchymal stem cells is one of the promising tools to improve 
outcomes after myocardial infarction. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are an 
ideal source of mesenchymal stem cells due to their abundance and ease of 
preparation. Studies in animal models of myocardial infarction have demonstrated 
the ability of injected ASCs to engraft and differentiate into cardiomyocytes 
and vasculature cells. ASCs secrete a wide array of angiogenic and 
anti-apoptotic paracrine factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor, 
hepatocyte growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor 1. ASCs are capable of 
enhancing heart function, reducing myocardial infarction, promoting 
vascularization, and reversing remodeling in the ischemically injured hearts. 
Furthermore, several ongoing clinical trials using ASCs are producing promising 
results for heart diseases. This article reviews the isolation, differentiation, 
immunoregulatory properties, mechanisms of action, animal models, and ongoing 
clinical trials of ASCs for cardiac disease.