Abstract
Heart failure is a leading cause of death worldwide. Studies of stem cell biology are essential for developing efficient treatments. Recently, we established and characterized c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells from the adult rat heart. Using a MethoCult culture system with a methyl-cellulose-based medium, stem-like left-atrium-derived pluripotent cells could be regulated to differentiate into skeletal/cardiac myocytes or adipocytes with almost 100% purity. Microarray and pathway analyses of these cells showed that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and noggin were significantly involved in the differentiation switch. Furthermore, TGF-β1 may act as a regulator for this switch because it simultaneously inhibits adipogenesis and activates myogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. However, the effect of TGF-β varies with developmental stage, dosage, and timing of treatment. In the present review, the findings of recent studies, in particular the use of c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells, are discussed. The effects of the TGF-β superfamily on differentiation, especially on adipogenesis and/or myogenesis, have important implications for future regenerative medicine.
Comments (0)