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The post-natal heart contains a myocardial stem cell population
Andrée M Hierlihy1, Patrick Seale, Corrinne G Lobe
1Ottawa Health Research Institute, Molecular Medicine Program and Centre for Stem Cell and Gene Therapy, University of Ottawa, Canada.
FEBS Letters
|October 22, 2002
Summary
Adult hearts contain a resident stem cell population (side population cells) that activates during growth attenuation. These cardiac stem cells can fuse with other cells, suggesting a role in heart adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Cardiac Regeneration
Background:
- Stem cell pools have been identified in various tissues, suggesting potential stem cell populations in the myocardium.
- The role of resident stem cells in post-natal heart growth and adaptation remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and activity of stem cell-like populations within the post-natal myocardium.
- To determine the behavior of these cardiac stem cells under conditions of attenuated heart growth.
Main Methods:
- Identification of a verapamil-sensitive side population (SP) with stem cell characteristics in the post-natal heart.
- Manipulation of cardiac growth via over-expression of a dominant-negative cardiac transcription factor (MEF2C).
- Analysis of SP cell activation, depletion, and fusion capabilities.
Main Results:
- A resident verapamil-sensitive side population (SP) exhibiting stem cell-like activity was identified in the post-natal myocardium.
- Attenuating post-natal heart growth (via MEF2C over-expression) led to the activation and subsequent depletion of the resident SP cell population.
- Cardiac SP cells demonstrated the capacity for fusion with other cell types, though without adopting their gene expression profiles.
Conclusions:
- The adult myocardium harbors a responsive stem cell pool (SP cells).
- This resident cardiac stem cell population may play a role in the adaptive responses of the post-natal heart.
- Cardiac SP cells exhibit unique fusion behavior, suggesting complex interactions within the cardiac tissue.