Incorporation of gold-coated microspheres into embryoid body of human embryonic stem cells for cardiomyogenic differentiation

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a useful cell source for cardiac regeneration by stem cell therapy. In this study, we show that incorporation of gold-coated microspheres into hESC-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) enhances the cardiomyogenic differentiation process of pluripotent embryonic stem cells. A polycaprolactone (PCL) microsphere surface was coated with gold. Either gold-coated PCL microspheres (AuMS) or PCL microspheres (MS) were incorporated into hESC-derived EBs. AuMS and MS were not cytotoxic. AuMS promoted the expression of genes for mesodermal and cardiac mesodermal lineage cells, both of which are intermediates in the process of cardiac differentiation of hESCs on day 4 and the expression of cardiomyogenic differentiation markers on day 14 compared to MS. AuMS also enhanced gene expression of cardiac-specific extracellular matrices. Incorporation of gold-coated MS into hESC-derived EBs may provide a new platform for inducing cardiomyogenic differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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