Mesenchymal stem cells or cardiac progenitors for cardiac repair? A comparative study.
In the past, clinical trials transplanting bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells reported a limited improvement in cardiac function. Therefore, the search for stem cells leading to more successful stem cell therapies continues. Good candidates are the so-called cardiac stem cells (CSCs). To date, there is no clear evidence to show if these cells are intrinsic stem cells from the heart or mobilized cells from bone marrow. In this study we performed a comparative study between human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), purified c-kit(+) CSCs, and cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs). Our results showed that hMSCs can be discriminated from CSCs by their differentiation capacity towards adipocytes and osteocytes and the expression of CD140b. On the other hand, cardiac progenitors display a greater cardiomyogenic differentiation capacity. Despite a different isolation protocol, no distinction could be made between c-kit(+) CSCs and CDCs, indicating that they probably derive from the same precursor or even are the same cells.
Koninckx
Remco
R
Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Jessa Hospital, Campus Virga Jesse, Stadsomvaart 11, Hasselt, Belgium.
Daniëls
Annick
A
Windmolders
Severina
S
Carlotti
Françoise
F
Mees
Urbain
U
Steels
Paul
P
Rummens
Jean-Luc
JL
Hendrikx
Marc
M
Hensen
Karen
K
D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D032386:Myoblasts, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration