It was reported that GDF11 induces loss of cardiac and skeletal muscle mass and function [33]; in contrast, the recent study indicated that exogenous GDF11 protected the heart from acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and suggested its role in promoting morphological and functional recovery in the early stage of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury [34]. This evidence concerns the gene GDF11 and myocardial ischemia.