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Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart
Published on: March 26, 2015
Kinases of the Focal Adhesion Complex Contribute to Cardiomyocyte Specification
Sacha Robert1,2, Marcus Flowers1,2, Brenda M Ogle1,2,3,4,5
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Abstract:
Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to cardiomyocytes is influenced by culture conditions including the extracellular matrices or similar synthetic scaffolds on which they are grown. However, the molecular mechanisms that link the scaffold with differentiation outcomes are not fully known. Here, we determined by immunofluorescence staining and mass spectrometry approaches that extracellular matrix (ECM) engagement by mouse pluripotent stem cells activates critical components of canonical wingless/integrated (Wnt) signaling pathways via kinases of the focal adhesion to drive cardiomyogenesis. These kinases were found to be differentially activated depending on type of ECM engaged. These outcomes begin to explain how varied ECM composition of in vivo tissues with development and in vitro model systems gives rise to different mature cell types, having broad practical applicability for the design of engineered tissues.
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