When David Hearse and Roberto Ferrari invited me to edit this issue and to contribute one of the articles I had mixed feelings. While the title proposed suggests a romantic paperback novel, the subject matter it incorporates is potentially groundbreaking: arguably, gene and cell therapies are fields that will apply to much of cardiovascular and other medical therapeutics in the future.

The beginnings have been rocky, especially with regard to gene therapy. This largely reflects the toxicity of viral vectors used in the initial gene therapies that were administered to patients. Cell therapy has had a more successful beginning, first appearing on the scene in 1956. In that year, E. Donnall Thomas obtained long-term survival by transplanting bone marrow into a patient with leukemia. Since that time both the efficacy and safety of bone marrow transplant have been documented and detailed for the treatment of certain cancers and immunodeficiency diseases. Obviously there are toxicities and shortcomings, but the life-saving nature of the therapy is unquestionable. And this history has provided assurance to subsequent investigators studying marrowderived cells, assurance that the cells they deliver to patients likely will cause no harm. Important with regard to the safety issue is that in most instances the cells administered have been autologous...