Spurt of heart muscle cell division seen in mice well after birth: Implications for repair of congenital heart defects
Posted: May 9, 2014 at 10:52 pm
The entire heart muscle in young children may hold untapped potential for regeneration, new research suggests.
For decades, scientists believed that after a child's first few days of life, cardiac muscle cells did not divide. Instead, the assumption was that the heart could only grow by having the muscle cells become larger.
Cracks were already appearing in that theory. But new findings in mice, scheduled for publication in Cell, provide a dramatic counterexample -- with implications for the treatment of congenital heart disorders in humans.
Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have discovered that in young mice 15 days old, cardiac muscle cells undergo a precisely timed spurt of cell division lasting around a day. The total number of cardiac muscle cells increases by about 40 percent during this time, when the rest of the body is growing rapidly. [A 15-day-old mouse is roughly comparable to a child in kindergarten; puberty occurs at day 30-35 in mice.]
The burst of cell division is driven by a surge of thyroid hormone, the researchers found. This suggests that thyroid hormone could aid in the treatment of children with congenital heart defects. In fact, doctors have already tested thyroid hormone supplementation in this setting on a small scale.
The findings also have broader hints for researchers developing therapies for the heart. Activating the regenerative potential of the muscle cells themselves is a strategy that is an alternative to focusing on the heart's stem cells, says senior author Ahsan Husain, PhD, professor of medicine (cardiology) at Emory University School of Medicine.
"It's not as dramatic as in fish or amphibians, but we can show that in young mice, the entire heart is capable of regeneration, not just the stem cells," he says.
The Emory researchers collaborated with Robert Graham, MD, executive director of the Victor Change Cardiac Research Institute in Australia. Co-first authors of the paper are Nawazish Naqvi, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Emory and Ming Li, PhD, at Victor Chang.
The researchers tested how much mice, at the age of day 15, can recover from the blockage of a coronary artery. Consistent with previous research, newborn (day 2) mice showed a high level of repair after such an injury, but at day 21, they did not. The day 15 mice recovered more than the day 21 mice, indicating that some repair is still possible at day 15.
The discovery came unexpectedly during the course of Naqvi and Husain's investigation of the role of the gene c-kit -- an important marker for stem cells -- in cardiac muscle growth. Adult mice with a disabled c-kit gene in the heart have more cardiac muscle cells. The researchers wanted to know: when does this difference appear?
- The Beating Heart (Cardiac) Cells [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- cellalign [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2011]
- Okamoto placenta-derived cardiomyocytes [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2011]
- Wow! UW Research labs [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2011]
- cellalign [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2011]
- Insidermedicine In 60 - August 4, 2011 [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cells in End-Stage Human Failing Hearts: Are they functional? [Last Updated On: August 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: August 28th, 2011]
- Did you have a Heart Attack and Need to Recover your Cardiac Muscle? [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Heart repair using own stem cells after heart attack: Future Health keynote speaker [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy at Rostock University [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Douglas Boyd [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Davos Question: Stem Cell Answer [Last Updated On: September 5th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 5th, 2011]
- Stem Cell operation in Cardiac Surgery-Al-Jazeerah [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Therapy in Cardiac Disease [Last Updated On: September 6th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 6th, 2011]
- Designer Life: repair brain, heart with stem cells - Future Health keynote speaker [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Stem Cells: Mending a broken heart? [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cells in End-Stage Human Failing Hearts: Are they functional? [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2011]
- Oral Surgeon utilizes StemSave to preserve stem cells in wisdom teeth to combat cardiac disease [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Cardiac Recovery Points to Adult Stem Cells [Last Updated On: September 9th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 9th, 2011]
- Oral Surgeon utilizes StemSave to preserve stem cells in wisdom teeth to combat cardiac disease [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell operation in Cardiac Surgery-Al-Jazeerah [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Derivatives of Embryonic Stem Cells in Cardiac Repair and Drug Discovery [Last Updated On: September 10th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Therapy in Cardiac Disease [Last Updated On: September 11th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 11th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Derivatives of Embryonic Stem Cells in Cardiac Repair and Drug Discovery [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Stem Cells and Cardiac Regeneration [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Cardiomyogenic differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem cells (KUM2/9-15c) [Last Updated On: September 12th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 12th, 2011]
- Mark Mercola: Differentiating embryonic stem cells into adult tissues [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Douglas Boyd [Last Updated On: September 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 20th, 2011]
- Stem Cell #8 Vas Cath Removal 04/28/11 [Last Updated On: September 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 20th, 2011]
- Adult Stem Cells Used To Rebuild Heart Tissue Video. More at http://www.stemcellfusion.com [Last Updated On: September 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 20th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Treatment with Dell [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- First US Patient In Stem Cell Transplant [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Stem Cell Heart Surgery must see [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Beating cardiac myocytes from differentiated mouse iPSC. [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- heart cell generation from human ES and iPS cells (embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells).flv [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Advanced Cell Technology OneMedForum 2011 [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- 20100804_axiogenesis.wmv [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Pt. 1--Dr. Ali Denktas--Stem Cells as Markers after Myocardial Infarctions [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Cardiac Tissue Can Regenerate [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Adult Stem Cell [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Beating cardiomyocyte monolayer [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Valentine's Day Stem Cell Wish: Mending Broken Hearts [Last Updated On: September 23rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 23rd, 2011]
- Cardiomyocytes derived from mouse Embryonic stem cells [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- UCD Med Student Receives Fulbright Award [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- Mouse GEN cells overexpressing Csx/Nkx2.5 and GATA4 behave like transient amplifying cells [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- 2010 - 2011 UConn Highlight Reel [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- William F. Testimonial of Treatment Stem Cell [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- BeatingCM_on_MEA.wmv [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2011]
- Breakthrough in Stem cell technology [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- stem cell derived cardiomyocytes [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Mark Mercola: Differentiating embryonic stem cells into adult tissues [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Cadiomyogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Adult Stem Cell vs Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ethics Video [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Heart Failure Patient After Adult Stem Cell Therapy [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Affordable Stem Cell Therapy in Guatemala (2hrs from Miami) [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Kevin's 2 Heart Transplants and Stem Cell Transplant [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Immune Control of Stem Cell Mobilization [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Patel Stem Cell Heart Failure [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Better Drugs Through Stem Cells [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Heart Disease Patient Describes His Stem Cell Treatment [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Turning Adult Stem Cells into Medicine - Zannos Grekos, MD [Last Updated On: September 25th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 25th, 2011]
- Cardiomyocytic differentiation of endometrial stem cells. [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Turning Adult Stem Cells into Medicine - Zannos Grekos, MD [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Stem Cells: Heart cells grown from mouse stem cells [Last Updated On: September 26th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 26th, 2011]
- Beating cells [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Repairing Damaged Hearts with Stem Cells [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- Heart cells grown from human embryonic stem cells [Last Updated On: September 28th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 28th, 2011]
- CytoTune iPSCs - Cardiomyocytes [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- Becoming Bionic: The Little Book of Hope for Heart Patients Runblog ("Dress the Part") [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- H9 Cardiac EBs.mov [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- Beating Cardiomyocytes from E14 Cells [Last Updated On: September 29th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 29th, 2011]
- Human 2.0: The Helix of Our Future [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2011] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2011]
- Beating Human Heart Cells from Embryonic Stem Cells [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2011]
- Be still my beating stem cell heart [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2011]
- Doctors To Use 'Trained' Stem Cells To Heal Heart [Last Updated On: October 2nd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 2nd, 2011]
- Spontaneously and rhythmically beating engineered human heart tissue from pluripotent stem cells [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2011]
- Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy - How it works [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2011]
- Doctors To Use 'Trained' Stem Cells To Heal Heart [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2011] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2011]