
AsianScientist (Nov. 11, 2016) – Researchers in Japan have identified a molecule that is expressed in early heart production, allowing them to isolate and study pure populations of human heart progenitor cells. Their work was published in Cell Reports.
The heart is one of the first organs to emerge as cardiac progenitors in the embryo. To better understand the pathological cause of congenital heart diseases as well as identify and isolate these cells for the production the heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, it would be helpful to have a specific surface antigen unique to these cardiac progenitors.
Researchers based at Osaka University have identified a molecule, called glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha-2 (GFRA2), which is specifically expressed on cardiac progenitor cells in embryos. The team found this protein to be vital to successful heart development, as abnormal GFRA2 function resulted in pathologically thin and less compact heart ventricle walls.
More importantly, this molecule makes it possible to isolate and study pure populations of human heart progenitor cells, which may help researchers develop regenerative therapy for heart failure.
The article can be found at: Ishida et al. (2016) GFRA2 Identifies Cardiac Progenitors and Mediates Cardiomyocyte Differentiation in a RET-Independent Signaling Pathway.
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Source: Osaka University; Photo: Pixabay.
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