Cardiac potential of stem cells from whole human umbilical cord tissue.
We investigated the role of stem cells from human umbilical cord tissue in cardiomyocyte regeneration. The umbilical cord stem cells were initially characterized and differentiated in a myocardial differentiation medium containing 5-azacytidine for 24 h. Differentiation into cardiomyocytes was determined by expression of cardiac specific markers, like cardiac alpha-actin, connexin43, myosin, Troponin T, and ultrastructural analysis. In vivo, the transplanted umbilical cord stem cells were sprouting from local injection and differentiated into cardiomyocyte-like cells in a rat myocardial infarction model. Echocardiography revealed increasing left ventricular function after umbilical cord stem cell transplantation. These results demonstrate that umbilical cord stem cells can differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, human umbilical cord might represent a source of stem cells useful for cellular therapy and myocardial tissue engineering. Future studies are required to determine the molecular signaling mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon.
Wu
Kai Hong
KH
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Children's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. pumcwu@yahoo.com.cn
Mo
Xu Ming
XM
Zhou
Bin
B
Lu
Shi Hong
SH
Yang
Shao Guang
SG
Liu
Ying Long
YL
Han
Zhong Chao
ZC
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D048430:Cell Shape; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation