CXCL12 and myocardial infarction: Intramyocardial administration of SDF-1α, in mice with myocardial infarction produced by coronary artery ligation, has been shown to be associated with activation of the cell surviving factor protein kinase B, upregulation of the vascular endothelial growth factor, neo-angiogenesis and improvement of echocardiographic indices of ventricular systolic function such as fractional shortening and ejection fraction [6].