A single-cell comparison of adult and fetal human epicardium defines the age-associated changes in epicardial activity.

ABSTRACT: Re-activating quiescent adult epicardium represents a potential therapeutic approach for human cardiac regeneration. However, the exact molecular differences between inactive adult and active fetal epicardium are not known. In this study, we combined fetal and adult human hearts using single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing and compared epicardial cells from both stages. We found that a migratory fibroblast-like epicardial population only in the fetal heart and fetal epicardium expressed angiogenic gene programs, whereas the adult epicardium was solely mesothelial and immune responsive. Furthermore, we predicted that adult hearts may still receive fetal epicardial paracrine communication, including WNT signaling with endocardium, reinforcing the validity of regenerative strategies tha

SUBMITTER: Knight-Schrijver VR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7614330 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature