Wired takes a brief look at regenerative methodologies outside the mainstream of stem cell based therapies: "Hydra Biosciences is working a regeneration drug that stimulates heart muscle-cell regrowth, and could lead to better recoveries for heart attack sufferers. The protein-based drug induces mature cells to become a little bit like stem cells. It causes heart cells to 'dedifferentiate' partially, reverting them to an earlier stage of development and activating their ability to generate more muscle cells. ... The dogma has always been that heart muscle cannot regenerate. But it's possible in animals, and now we have drug candidates that may do the same thing in humans. ... He estimates human trials of the protein compounds will begin within the next few years."

Link: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70064-0.html