STAT3 and myocardial infarction: Myeloid-derived growth factor; Bone marrow-derived monocyte and paracrine-acting protein that promotes cardiac myocyte survival and adaptive angiogenesis for cardiac protection and/or repair after myocardial infarction (MI). Stimulates endothelial cell proliferation through a MAPK1/3-, STAT3-, and CCND1-mediated signaling pathway. Inhibits cardiac myocyte apoptosis in a PI3K/AKT-dependent signaling pathway (By similarity). Involved in endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis