Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Isolation of Perivascular Multipotent Precursor Cell Populations from Human Cardiac Tissue
Published on: October 8, 2016
NFATc1+CD31+CD45- circulating multipotent stem cells derived from human endocardium and their therapeutic potential
Han-Mo Yang1, Ju-Young Kim2, Hyun-Jai Cho1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea; National Research Laboratory for Stem Cell Niche, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea; Innovative Research Institute for Cell Therapy, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Insights
Researchers discovered novel Circulating Multipotent Stem (CiMS) cells in human blood, originating from the endocardium. These easily obtainable CiMS cells show therapeutic potential for cell therapy applications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Stem Cell Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Cardiac stem cells are known in the myocardium and epicardium.
- Endocardial stem cell characteristics remain largely unelucidated.
- Investigating novel stem cell populations in peripheral blood is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize a new population of stem cells in human peripheral blood.
- To determine the origin and therapeutic potential of these novel cells.
- To explore the clinical relevance of these cells for cell therapy.
Main Methods:
- Identification and characterization of novel stem cells from human peripheral blood.
- Assessment of multipotency through in vitro and in vivo differentiation assays.
- Origin determination using Short Tandem Repeat (STR) profiling in transplant recipients.
- Quantification of cell populations following endocardial stimuli.
Main Results:
- A novel multipotent cell population, termed Circulating Multipotent Stem (CiMS) cells, was identified in human peripheral blood.
- CiMS cells demonstrated differentiation into multiple lineages both in vitro and in vivo.
- STR profiling confirmed the endocardium as the origin of CiMS cells post-heart transplantation.
- CiMS cell numbers increased significantly after endocardial injury (e.g., catheter ablation, myocardial infarction).
Conclusions:
- Circulating Multipotent Stem (CiMS) cells originate from the endocardium.
- These easily accessible cells possess multipotency and therapeutic potential.
- CiMS cells represent a promising candidate for future cell-based therapies in cardiovascular medicine.
Abstract:
Many studies have shown the existence of cardiac stem cells in the myocardium and epicardial progenitor cells in the epicardium. However, the characteristics of stem cells in the endocardium has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the origin of newly identified cells in the blood and their therapeutic potential. The new population of cells, identified from human peripheral blood, was quite different from previously reported stem cells. These newly identified cells, which we named Circulating Multipotent Stem (CiMS) cells, were multipotent, and therefore differentiated into multiple lineages in vitro and in vivo. In order to determine the origin of these cells, we collected peripheral blood from a group of patients who underwent bone marrow, liver, heart, or kidney transplantation. We identified the endocardium as the origin of these cells because the Short Tandem Repeat profile of CiMS cells from the recipient had changed from the recipient's profile to the donor's profile after heart transplantation. CiMS cells significantly increased after stimuli to the endocardium, such as catheter ablation for arrhythmia or acute myocardial infarction. CiMS cells circulate in human peripheral blood and are easily obtainable, suggesting that these cells could be a promising tool for cell therapy.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell...
01:17Stem Cell Culture
01:19Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells