Cardiovascular development: towards biomedical applicability Epicardium-derived cells in cardiogenesis and cardiac regeneration

During cardiogenesis, the epicardium grows from the proepicardial organ to form the outermost layer of the early heart. Part of the epicardium undergoes epithelial-mesenchymal transformation, and migrates into the myocardium. These epicardium- derived cells differentiate into interstitial fibroblast...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 64; no. 6; pp. 692 - 703
Main Authors Winter, E. M., Gittenberger-de Groot, A. C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2007
Birkhäuser-Verlag
Subjects
Biomedical research
Cardiology
Heart
Multi-Author Review
Stem cells
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Summary:During cardiogenesis, the epicardium grows from the proepicardial organ to form the outermost layer of the early heart. Part of the epicardium undergoes epithelial-mesenchymal transformation, and migrates into the myocardium. These epicardium- derived cells differentiate into interstitial fibroblasts, coronary smooth muscle cells, and perivascular fibroblasts. Moreover, epicardium-derived cells are important regulators of formation of the compact myocardium, the coronary vasculature, and the Purkinje fiber network, thus being essential for proper cardiac development. The fibrous structures of the heart such as the fibrous heart skeleton and the semilunar and atrioventricular valves also depend on a contribution of these cells during development. We hypothesise that the essential properties of epicardium-derived cells can be recapitulated in adult diseased myocardium. These cells can therefore be considered as a novel source of adult stem cells useful in clinical cardiac regeneration therapy. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1420-682X
1420-9071
DOI:10.1007/s00018-007-6522-3