Establishment of the method to differentiate human cardiac stem cells into cardiomyocytes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461118
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: HOSODA Toru 東海大学, 創造科学技術研究機構, 准教授 (50608601)
• Research Collaborator: TOMOIKE Hitonobu 榊原記念病院, 院長 (90112333) ; IGUCHI Nobuo 榊原記念病院, 循環器内科放射線科, 部長 (90232165) ; TAKANASHI Shuichiro 榊原記念病院, 心臓血管外科, 主任部長 (30206776)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 心臓幹細胞 / 心筋分化 / 心不全

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells (CSCs) renew cardiomyocytes and coronary vessels maintaining the homeostasis of the organ. This study aimed to establish the method to differentiate CSCs into cardiomyocytes in vitro.
Referring to preceding researches, physiologically active substances were applied to CSCs in various combinations, but myocardial differentiation was not achieved. Accordingly, we altered our approach; CSCs and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were co-cultured without a direct contact each other using the Transwell system and treated with an established condition for the myocardial differentiation of iPSCs. As a result, iPSCs and CSCs started to beat on day 14 and 30, respectively, and continued for at least 2 weeks.
Beating cells were prepared from CSCs in vitro for the first time. By identifying the critical factor(s) involved in the process, we can expect to obtain more physiological cardiomyocytes with high efficiency compared to former approaches.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学、幹細胞生物学、再生医学