Gata4-Dependent Differentiation of c-Kit(+)-Derived Endothelial Cells Underlies Artefactual Cardiomyocyte Regeneration in the Heart

摘要

Background: Although c-Kit(+) adult progenitor cells were initially reported to produce new cardiomyocytes in the heart, recent genetic evidence suggests that such events are exceedingly rare. However, to determine if these rare events represent true de novo cardiomyocyte formation, we deleted the necessary cardiogenic transcription factors Gata4 and Gata6 from c-Kit-expressing cardiac progenitor cells.