Mouse embryonic stem cells build a heart

St. Louis -- U.S. researchers have shown mouse embryonic stem cells can build the heart, thereby moving science closer to heart disease treatments using human stem cells.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis researchers discovered the Mesp1 gene locks mouse embryonic stem cells into becoming heart parts and moves them to the area where the heart forms. The researchers are now testing if stem cells exposed to Mesp1 can help fix damaged mouse hearts.

"This isn't the only gene we'll need to get stem cells to repair damaged hearts but it's a key piece of the puzzle," said Dr. Kenneth Murphy, a professor of pathology and immunology and senior author of the study. "This gene is like the first domino in a chain: the Mesp1 protein activates genes that make other important proteins, and these in turn activate other genes and so on. The end result of these falling genetic dominoes is your whole cardiovascular system."

The study is reported in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.