Open AccessEpicardial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in injured heart
Author(s) -
Zhou Bin,
Pu William T.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01450.x
Subject(s) - myofibroblast , mesenchymal stem cell , epithelial–mesenchymal transition , progenitor cell , heart development , regeneration (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , fate mapping , myocardial infarction , biology , in vivo , cell , fibroblast , cell type , pathology , cell culture , anatomy , stem cell , transition (genetics) , medicine , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene , fibrosis , biochemistry
Cre‐LoxP‐mediated genetic lineage trace has been used to illuminate the cell fate of progenitor cells in vivo . Application of this strategy to the epicardium, a sheet of cells covering the surface of heart, revealed that it dynamically participates in both heart development and postnatal heart repair and regeneration. After myocardial infarction, epicardial cells undergo epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mainly adopt myofibroblast, fibroblast and smooth muscle cell fates. Here we present the wholemount images that map epicardial EMT following myocardial infarction, taking advantage of an inducible epicardial Cre line and a double fluorescence reporter. While remote epicardium retained its epithelial cell shape, reactivated epicardium in the infarcted region showed significant EMT. This image supports active involvement of the epicardium in repair and regeneration of infarcted myocardium.