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Updated: May 18, 2026
08:57
The Isolation and Culture of Primary Epicardial Cells Derived from Human Adult and Fetal Heart Specimens
Published on: April 24, 2018
Cardiac regeneration from activated epicardium
Bram van Wijk1, Quinn D Gunst, Antoon F M Moorman
1Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Plos One
|October 3, 2012
Summary
Mammalian hearts have limited regeneration. This study reveals that the epicardium in mice, similar to zebrafish, initiates a regenerative response after injury, forming new cells but insufficient cardiomyocytes for full recovery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Mammalian heart regeneration is limited compared to lower vertebrates.
- Loss of cardiomyocytes after ischemia is typically replaced by fibroblasts.
- Existing cardiomyocyte formation in adult mammals is insufficient for infarction repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mammalian epicardial activation and cellular contribution post-ischemia.
- To understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of heart regeneration in mice.
- To compare regenerative responses between mammals and lower vertebrates.
Main Methods:
- Mouse myocardial infarction model.
- Analysis of spatio-temporal gene expression (epicardial, EMT, stem cell markers).
- Tracking Wt1-lineage cells in the infarcted area.
Main Results:
- Epicardial integrity is lost then regenerated post-infarction.
- Regenerated epicardium transiently re-expresses embryonic genes and proliferates.
- Wt1-lineage cells contribute to mesenchymal tissue, fibroblasts, endothelium, and some cardiomyocytes.
Conclusions:
- Mammalian hearts exhibit an endogenous, epicardium-dependent regenerative response to injury.
- This response involves epicardial activation and Wt1-lineage cell contribution.
- While new cardiomyocytes form, their numbers are insufficient for full myocardial repair in mice.
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