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Extrinsic regulation of cardiomyocyte differentiation of embryonic stem cells
Author(s) -
Chen Kang,
Wu Liqun,
Wang Zack Z.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/jcb.21604
Subject(s) - embryonic stem cell , myocyte , induced pluripotent stem cell , regeneration (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , cellular differentiation , biology , transplantation , cell therapy , cardiac function curve , heart failure , cancer research , neuroscience , medicine , genetics , gene
Cardiovascular disease is one of leading causes of death throughout the U.S. and the world. The damage of cardiomyocytes resulting from ischemic injury is irreversible and leads to the development of progressive heart failure, which is characterized by the loss of functional cardiomyocytes. Because cardiomyocytes are unable to regenerate in the adult heart, cell‐based therapy of transplantation provides a potential alternative approach to replace damaged myocardial tissue and restore cardiac function. A major roadblock toward this goal is the lack of donor cells; therefore, it is urgent to identify the cardiovascular cells that are necessary for achieving cardiac muscle regeneration. Pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells have enormous potential as a source of therapeutic tissues, including cardiovascular cells; however, the regulatory elements mediating ES cell differentiation to cardiomyocytes are largely unknown. In this review, we will focus on extrinsic factors that play a role in regulating different stages of cardiomyocyte differentiation of ES cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 119–128, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.