Angiotensin II promotes differentiation of mouse c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells into pacemaker-like cells.

ABSTRACT: Cardiac stem cells (CSCs) can differentiate into cardiac muscle‑like cells; however, it remains unknown whether CSCs may possess the ability to differentiate into pacemaker cells. The aim of the present study was to determine whether angiotensin II (Ang II) could promote the specialization of CSCs into pacemaker‑like cells. Mouse CSCs were treated with Ang II from day 3-5, after cell sorting. The differentiation potential of the cells was then analyzed by morphological analysis, flow cytometry, reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and patch clamp analysis. Treatment with Ang II resulted in an increased number of cardiac muscle‑like cells (32.7 ± 4.8% vs. 21.5 ± 4.8%; P<0.05), and inhibition of smooth muscle‑like cells (6.2 ± 7.3% vs. 20.5 ± 5.1%; P<0.05). F

SUBMITTER: Xue C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4368082 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature