Investigation of cardiac fibroblasts using myocardial slices.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are considered the principal regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Factors that influence CF activity are difficult to determine. When isolated and cultured in vitro, CFs undergo rapid phenotypic changes including increased expression of α-SMA. Here we describe a new model to study CFs and their response to pharmacological and mechanical stimuli using in vitro cultured mouse, dog and human myocardial slices.

Methods and results

Unloading of myocardial slices induced CF proliferation without α-SMA expression up to 7 days in culture. CFs migrating onto the culture plastic support or cultured on glass expressed αSMA within 3 days. The cells on the slice remained αSMA(-) despite transforming growth factor-β (20 ng/ml) or angiotensin II (200 µM) stimulati

SUBMITTER: Perbellini F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5852538 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature