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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Derivation of Cardiac Progenitor Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: January 12, 2015
Cardiac progenitor cell commitment is inhibited by nuclear Akt expression.
Kimberlee M Fischer1, Shabana Din, Natalie Gude
1San Diego State Heart Institute, San Diego State University, CA, USA.
Genetically modified cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) overexpressing Akt showed increased proliferation but failed to improve heart function due to impaired lineage commitment. Akt inhibition restored lineage commitment, suggesting inducible systems may enhance stem cell therapy for heart disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Stem cell therapy offers a novel approach for cardiac tissue regeneration in heart disease.
- Limited stem cell survival in damaged myocardium restricts functional benefits.
- Enhancing stem cell survival and proliferation is crucial for improved cardiac function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) engineered to overexpress nuclear Akt (CPCeA) enhance structural and functional recovery in infarcted myocardium.
- To compare the effects of CPCeA against control CPCs in a heart attack model.
Main Methods:
- Genetic modification of CPCs to overexpress nuclear Akt (CPCeA).
- Intramyocardial injection of CPCeA and control CPCs into infarcted rat hearts.
- Assessment of cell proliferation, paracrine factor secretion, lineage commitment, and cardiac function.
Main Results:
- CPCeA demonstrated significantly higher proliferation and paracrine factor secretion than control CPCs.
- CPCeA exhibited impaired in vitro lineage commitment, which was reversible with Akt inhibition.
- Hearts treated with CPCeA showed increased recruitment of endogenous c-kit cells but no long-term functional or structural improvements compared to saline controls.
Conclusions:
- Overexpression of nuclear Akt in CPCeA promotes proliferation and paracrine factor release but impairs lineage commitment, hindering therapeutic benefits.
- CPC lineage commitment is essential for the regenerative response in infarcted hearts, even with enhanced endogenous cell recruitment.
- Inducible systems for Akt expression in CPCs may represent a future strategy to balance proliferation and differentiation for effective cardiac stem cell therapy.
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