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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
In Vitro Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Functional Cardiomyocyte-like Cells
Published on: August 9, 2017
Human amniotic mesenchymal cells have some characteristics of cardiomyocytes
Peng Zhao1, Hirohiko Ise, Minoru Hongo
1Department of Organ Regeneration, Institute of Organ Transplants, Reconstructive Medicine and Tissue Engineering, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Insights
Human amniotic mesenchymal cells (hAMC) show potential for treating heart failure. These cells can differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells and integrate into cardiac tissue, suggesting they are a promising source for cellular cardiomyoplasty.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiology
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Heart failure is a major health concern due to the limited regenerative capacity of adult cardiomyocytes.
- Cellular cardiomyoplasty (CCM) aims to treat heart failure using alternative cell sources.
- Identifying suitable cells for CCM is crucial for advancing heart failure therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of human amniotic mesenchymal cells (hAMC) as a cell source for CCM.
- To evaluate the cardiac-specific gene expression and differentiation capacity of hAMC.
- To assess the survival and differentiation of hAMC after transplantation into myocardial infarcts.
Main Methods:
- hAMC were analyzed for cardiac-specific gene expression using RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry.
- hAMC were cocultured with neonatal rat heart explants.
- hAMC were transplanted into rat myocardial infarct models.
Main Results:
- hAMC expressed key cardiac transcription factors (GATA4, Nkx2.5) and structural proteins (MLC-2a, MLC-2v, cTnI, cTnT, alpha-myosin heavy chain).
- Stimulation with bFGF or activin A induced expression of cardiac markers.
- Coculture and transplantation studies demonstrated hAMC integration, differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells, and survival for at least 2 months in vivo.
Conclusions:
- Human amniotic mesenchymal cells exhibit characteristics of cardiomyocytes.
- hAMC represent a promising cell source for cellular cardiomyoplasty in heart failure treatment.
Background:
Cellular cardiomyoplasty (CCM) is a major method for the treatment of heart failure because adult cardiomyocytes do not regenerate after ischemic injury, which results in heart failure. There is a great deal of interest in finding suitable new cell sources for use in CCM. Here, we report that human amniotic mesenchymal cells (hAMC), which are multipotent cells derived from fetal mesoderm, may be a suitable cell source for CCM.
Methods:
Freshly isolated hAMC were examined to detect the expression of cardiac-specific genes by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry. hAMC were cocultivated with neonatal rat heart explants and transplanted into myocardial infarcts in the rat heart.
Results:
hAMC expressed cardiac-specific transcription factor GATA4, cardiac-specific genes, such as myosin light chain (MLC)-2a, MLC-2v, cTnI, and cTnT, and the alpha-subunits of the cardiac-specific L-type calcium channel (alpha1c) and the transient outward potassium channel (Kv4.3). After stimulation with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or activin A, hAMC expressed Nkx2.5, a specific transcription factor for the cardiomyocyte and cardiac-specific marker atrial natriuretic peptide. In addition, the cardiac-specific gene alpha-myosin heavy chain was detected after treatment with activin A. Coculture experiments confirmed that hAMC were able to both integrate into cardiac tissues and differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells. After transplantation into the myocardial infarcts in rat hearts, hAMC survived in the scar tissue for at least 2 months and differentiated into cardiomyocyte-like cells.
Conclusion:
The results of the present study suggest that hAMC possess some characteristics of cardiomyocytes.
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