Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Differentiation: Modulation of Differentiation and “Loss-of-Function” Analysis In Vitro

• Published in: Trends in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 64 - 74
• Main Authors: Wobus, Anna M, Guan, Kaomei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.02.1998
• ISSN: 1050-1738; 1873-2615
• DOI: 10.1016/S1050-1738(97)00129-1

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, when cultivated as embryo-like aggregates, are able to differentiate in vitro into derivatives of all primary germ layers. These include functionally active cardiomyocytes representing ventricle-like, atrium-like, and pacemaker-like cells. During differentiation, a developmentally controlled expression pattern of cardiac-specific genes, proteins, action potentials, ion channels, and receptors is found. This developmental pattern can be modulated in vitro by differentiation factors such as retinoic acid or by “gain-of-function” and “loss-of-function” approaches. The latter strategy was successfully used for the characterization of cardiac phenotypes of β 1 integrin-deficient ES cells after differentiation into the cardiogenic lineage.