Abstract

The cardiomyogenic potential of adult bone marrow (BM) cells after being directly transplanted into the ischemically injured heart remains a controversial issue. In this study, we investigated the ability of transplanted BM cells to develop intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) transients in response to membrane depolarization in situ. Low-density mononuclear (LDM) BM cells, c-kit-enriched (c-kit(enr)) BM cells, and highly enriched lin(-) c-kit(+) BM cells were obtained from adult transgenic mice ubiquitously expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), and injected into peri-infarct myocardiums of nontransgenic mice. After 9-10 days the mice were killed, and the hearts were removed, perfused in Langendorff mode, loaded with the calcium-sensitive fluorophore rhod-2, and subjected to two-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy (TPLSM) to monitor action potential-induced [Ca(2+)](i) transients in EGFP-expressing donor-derived cells and non-expressing host cardiomyocytes. Whereas spontaneous and electrically evoked [Ca(2+)](i) transients were found to occur synchronously in host cardiomyocytes along the graft-host border and in areas remote from the infarct, they were absent in all of the >3,000 imaged BM-derived cells that were located in clusters throughout the infarct scar or peri-infarct zone. We conclude that engrafted BM-derived cells lack attributes of functioning cardiomyocytes, calling into question the concept that adult BM cells can give rise to substantive cardiomyocyte regeneration within the infarcted heart.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.