Direct Lineage Reprogramming in the Rotary Cell Culture System

 

The Texas Heart Institute, University of Houston and Synthecon have partnered on a study converting human adipogenic mesenchymal stem cells (hAdMSC) into highly conductive myocytes.

This poster, which was presented by the lead author Jose Francisco Islas at ISSCR2016 in San Francisco, describes the use of transcription factors ETS2 and MESp1 to convert hAdMSC into cardiac progenitor cells. These factors upregulated several key cardiac regulatory factors, but lagged in creating mature myosin heavy chains and essential calcium-handling proteins.

To address this, epinephrine was added to promote maturation of the reprogrammed cardiac progenitor cells to promote electrophysical and CA2+ regulating properties.

Conductive capacity and contractibility was improved by the formation of 3D cardio-spheroids in the Synthecon rotating bioreactor (RCCS). These aggregates allowed for appearance of hypoxic genes, as well as the activation of adult contractile genes. The novel methods employed by Ilas, Schwartz et al. enhanced maturation of the reprogrammed hADMSC’s to electrical active myocytes.