Stem cell populations in the heart and the role of Isl1 positive cells

Abstract

Cardiac progenitor cells are multipotent stem cells isolated from both embryonic and adult hearts in several species and are able to differentiate at least into smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes. The embryonic origin of these cells has not yet been demonstrated, but it has been suggested that these cells may derive from the first and secondary heart fields and from the neural crest. In the last decade, two different populations of cardiac progenitor or stem cells have been identified and isolated, i.e., the Islet1 positive (Isl1+) and c-Kit positive (c-Kit+)/Stem Cell Antigen-1 positive (Sca-1+) cells. Until 2012, these two populations have been considered two separate entities with different roles and a different origin, but new evidence now suggests a connection between the two populations and that the two populations may represent two subpopulations of a unique pool of cardiac stem cells, derived from a common immature primitive cell. To find a common consensus on this concept is very important in furthering the application of stem cells to cardiac tissue engineering.

Identification and characterization of microRNAs involved in ascidian larval metamorphosis

“…It is worth noting that zinc finger protein of the cerebellum 3, orthodenticle homeobox, and insulin gene enhancer protein, which regulate pluripotency in stem cells [ 21 – 23 ], were targeted by csa-miR-4000f, csa-miR-92c, and csa-miR-4108a/csa-miR-4108b, respectively, revealing that they might control larval stem cell differentiation during metamorphosis. In addition, genes related to lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, phagosome, endocytosis, and autophagy regulation were significantly enriched in KEGG results (Table 1 ), indicating that vesicle trafficking processes are involved in larval metamorphosis.…”

G9a histone methyltransferase inhibitor BIX01294 promotes expansion of adult cardiac progenitor cells without changing their phenotype or differentiation potential

“…Nor were there any differences apparent among CPCs obtained from control or treated cultures for the display of Islet1 (Fig. e–h), which is a transcription marker affiliated with cardiac progenitors . In addition, cells obtained from BIX01294‐treated and control cultures appeared to have identical distribution patterns of the CPC‐associated gap junction proteins, Cx40 and Cx43 (Fig.…”

Pharmacological Therapy in the Heart as an Alternative to Cellular Therapy: A Place for the Brain Natriuretic Peptide?

“…Thus the association of several markers is required to identify cardiovascular progenitor and cardiac precursor cells [ 35 , 36 ] ( Figure 1 ). Early cardiogenic precursors originate from mesoderm and are identified as expressing the c-kit protein [ 37 – 39 ] (a cellular cytokine receptor initially found at the surface of hematopoietic progenitor cells), the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 protein (Flk-1) [ 40 ], and the nuclear transcription factor islet-1 [ 35 , 41 , 42 ]. These relative undifferentiated cells give rise to multipotent cardiovascular progenitors which express the nuclear transcription factor Nkx2.5 [ 43 , 44 ] together with the islet-1, Flk-1, and c-kit proteins.…”