Cell therapy for patients with heart failure is still in its infancy. While early clinical studies suggest that stem and progenitor cell transfer to the failing heart may be feasible, firm conclusions regarding efficacy cannot be drawn at this time. The cell types that have undergone clinical testing so far, ie bone marrow cells and skeletal myoblasts, cannot promote true tissue regeneration. Further research into cell types with true cardiac transdifferentiation capacity is necessary in order to realize the prospects of cell therapy in this patient population.