Recreating the biological pacemaker

Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004 Oct;280(2):1046-52. doi: 10.1002/ar.a.20073.

Abstract

In recent years, several groups have reported a variety of strategies for developing biological pacemakers whose ultimate function would be to supplement/replace electronic pacemakers. Strategies have included gene therapy using naked plasmids or viral vectors and cell therapy for which both adult human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and human embryonic stem cells have been employed. This article reviews the various approaches and summarizes our own research in which the pacemaker gene, HCN2, is administered via viral vector or in an hMSC platform to produce pacemaker function in the intact canine heart.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / genetics
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / pathology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / therapy*
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial*
  • Cells, Cultured / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured / transplantation
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Dogs
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels
  • Ion Channels / administration & dosage
  • Ion Channels / physiology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Muscle Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Muscle Proteins / physiology*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / cytology*
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects
  • Plasmids
  • Potassium Channels
  • Stem Cell Transplantation

Substances

  • HCN2 protein, human
  • Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels
  • Ion Channels
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Potassium Channels
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins