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Derivation of Cardiac Progenitor Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: January 12, 2015
Creation of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiac cell sheets
Katsuhisa Matsuura1, Shinako Masuda, Yuji Haraguchi
1Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
Biomaterials
|August 3, 2011
Summary
Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived cardiomyocytes were cultured in stirred suspension to create cell sheets for heart tissue engineering. This method effectively generates functional cardiomyocyte cell sheets, a promising tool for bioengineered myocardium.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Regenerative medicine
- Stem cell biology
Background:
- Previous bioengineered myocardium utilized cell sheet technology.
- An unresolved challenge was identifying suitable cell sources.
- Embryonic stem (ES) cells offer a potential cell source for cardiac tissue engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for generating cardiomyocyte cell sheets from mouse ES cells.
- To investigate the efficacy of stirred suspension cultures and growth factors for cardiomyocyte expansion.
- To assess the functional properties of the generated ES cell-derived cardiomyocyte cell sheets.
Main Methods:
- Mouse ES cells were cultured in three-dimensional stirred suspension.
- Serial treatment with noggin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was applied.
- Drug selection was used for neomycin-resistance gene-expressing ES cells.
- Coculture with cardiac fibroblasts promoted cell sheet formation.
Main Results:
- Cardiomyocyte numbers increased more than fourfold with growth factor treatment.
- Selected ES cells exhibited spontaneous beating and cardiac protein expression.
- ES-derived cardiomyocyte cell sheets showed synchronous beating and connexin 43 expression.
- Unidirectional action potential propagation was observed in the cell sheets.
Conclusions:
- Stirred suspension cultures with growth factors efficiently produce cardiomyocytes.
- ES-derived cardiac cell sheets are a promising tool for bioengineered myocardium.
- This approach facilitates the development of functional cardiac tissue grafts.

