Cardiac stem cells (CSCs) can differentiate into cardiac muscle‑like cells; however, it remains unknown whether CSCs may possess the ability to differentiate into pacemaker cells. The aim of the present study was to determine whether angiotensin II (Ang II) could promote the specialization of CSCs into pacemaker‑like cells. Mouse CSCs were treated with Ang II from day 3-5, after cell sorting. T...

historically, biomarkers have been used in two major ways to maintain and improve better health status: first, for diagnostic purposes, and second, as specific targets to treat various diseases.   a new era in treatment and even cure for the some diseases using reprograming of somatic cells is about to be born. in this approach, scientists are successfully taking human skin cells (previously co...

acute yew (taxus baccata) intoxication was induced in 7 adult sheep by oral administration of the plant materials at the dose of 2.5g/kg body weight. blood samples for hematology and serum biochemistry were collected before and after the induced intoxication.electrocardiography was performed using a base-apex lead. intoxicated animals displayed lethargy, depression, bradycardia and varying inte...

Serum response factor (SRF) regulates transcription of numerous muscle and growth factor-inducible genes. Because SRF is not muscle specific, it has been postulated to activate muscle genes by recruiting myogenic accessory factors. Using a bioinformatics-based screen for unknown cardiac-specific genes, we identified a novel and highly potent transcription factor, named myocardin, that is expres...

Regulatory regions of the mouse muscle creatine kinase (MCK) gene, previously discovered by analysis in cultured muscle cells, were analyzed in transgenic mice. The 206-bp MCK enhancer at nt-1256 was required for high-level expression of MCK-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion genes in skeletal and cardiac muscle; however, unlike its behavior in cell culture, inclusion of the 1-kb region o...