Dna synthesis and multinucleation in embryonic stem cell-derived
cardiomyocytes.
Klug, Michael G., Mark H. Soonpaa, and Loren J. Field.
Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Indiana University School of
Medicine, 1111 West 10th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana
APStracts 2:0250H, 1995.
The proliferative capacity of embryonic stem (ES) cell derived
cardiomyocytes was assessed. Enriched preparations of cardiomyocytes
were isolated by micro-dissection of the cardiogenic regions of
cultured embryoid bodies (EBs). The identity of the isolated cells
was established by immunocytology, and mitotic activity was monitored
by 3H-thymidine incorpo ration and pulse-chase experiments. ES
derived cardiomyocytes were mitotically active and predominately
mononucleated at 11 days post cardiogenic induction. By 21 days post
induc tion cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis was markedly decreased, with a
concomitant increase in the percentage of multinucleated cells.
Interestingly, the duration of active cardiomyocyte redupli cation in
the ES system appeared to be roughly similar to that observed
previously during normal murine cardiogenesis. Given these
observations, as well as the genetic tractability of ES cells, ES
-derived cardiogenesis might provide a useful in vitro system with
which to assess the molecular regulation of the cardiomyocyte cell
cycle.
Received 9 January 1995; accepted in final form 1 June 1995.
APS Manuscript Number H13-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Heart Circ. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 6 July 1995.