title: MicroRNAs regulating cell pluripotency and vascular differentiation.
abstract: Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) offer broad potential for regenerative medicine owing to their capacity for self renewal, exponential scale up and differentiation into any cell type in the adult body. hESC have been proposed as a potentially unlimited source for the generation of transplantable, healthy, functional vascular cells for repair of ischemic tissues. To optimally harness this potential necessitates precise control over biological processes that govern maintenance, pluripotency and cell differentiation including signalling cascades, gene expression profiles and epigenetic modification. Such control may be elicited by microRNAs, which are powerful negative regulators of gene expression. Here, we review the role for miRNAs in both the maintenance of pluripotency and differentiation of cells to a cardiovascular lineage including endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes and put this into context for regenerative medicine in the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Lynsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D043924:Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; D035683:MicroRNAs