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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Derivation of Cardiac Progenitor Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: January 12, 2015
Developmental origin of postnatal cardiomyogenic progenitor cells
Yuan-Hung Liu1, Ling-Ping Lai2, Shih-Yun Huang3
1Section of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Pan Chiao, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; College of Informatics, Yuan Ze University, Chungli, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Section of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Pan Chiao, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; College of Informatics, Yuan Ze University, Chungli, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Aim:
To trace the cell origin of the cells involved in postnatal cardiomyogenesis.
Materials & Methods:
Nkx2.5 enhancer-eGFP (Nkx2.5 enh-eGFP) mice were used to test the cardiomyogenic potential of Nkx2.5 enhancer-expressing cells. By analyzing Cre excision of activated Nkx2.5-eGFP+ cells from different lineage-Cre/Nkx2.5 enh-eGFP/ROSA26 reporter mice, we traced the developmental origin of Nkx2.5 enhancer-expressing cells.
Results:
Nkx2.5 enhancer-expressing cells could differentiate into striated cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Nkx2.5-eGFP+ cells increased remarkably after experimental myocardial infarction (MI). The post-MI Nkx2.5-eGFP+ cells originated from the embryonic epicardial cells, not from the pre-existing cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, cardiac neural crest cells or perinatal/postnatal epicardial cells.
Conclusion:
Postnatal Nkx2.5 enhancer-expressing cells are cardiomyogenic progenitor cells and originate from embryonic epicardium-derived cells.
