Quantifying Chimeric Cardiomyocytes

Quantifying chimeric cardiomyocytes.

To the Editor: We have read with interest the recently reported results of Deb et al,1 in which the authors claim that for the first time, human bone marrow was established as a source of extracardiac progenitor cells capable of de novo cardiomyocyte formation. In this context, we would like to refer to a previously published paper from our laboratory2 reporting that gender-mismatched transplan...

Acoustic Identification of Cardiomyocytes

- structing Chimeric Genes

range of blood-cell concentrations (between 0.125–1.0 μL of blood; see References 5 and 6). One difference between the original vs. the modified method is degradation of hemoglobin, or heme compound, by boiling in NaOH that results in a stronger inhibitory effect on the Taq DNA polymerase (2,4). In addition, it is possible that repeated boiling of the sample before DNA amplification increases t...

Chimeric antigen receptor

Artificial T cell receptors are under investigation as a therapy for cancer, using a technique called adoptive cell transfer. T cells are removed from a patient and modified so that they express receptors specific to the particular form of cancer. The T cells, which can then recognize and kill the cancer cells, are reintroduced into the patient. Modification of T-cells sourced from donors other...

Reprogramming fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes.

A deficiency of cardiomyocytes underlies most cases of heart failure, and scientists have long sought to repopulate the heart with new cardiomyocytes. Most attempts at remuscularization have been based on the transplantation of stem cells or their derivatives, and success has been modest to date. A recent study by Ieda and colleagues1 points to a new therapeutic strategy: reprogramming fibrobla...