Ca2+ handling in mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

Abstract

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are alternative cell source for cell replacement therapy for cardiac diseases, thus it is important to verify if the cardiomyocytes derived from ES cells have comparable functional parameters similar to the mature cardiomyocytes. Ca2+ handling is one of the most important parameters of cardiomyocyte since it is involved in the regulation of several main functions of cardiomyocytes, e.g. the excitation–contraction coupling. By applying membrane-permeable fluorescent Ca2+ indicator and confocal microscopy detection system, change of intracellular Ca2+ concentration in ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes can be monitored in real-time manner. In this protocol, we describe a method of isolating mouse ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes and recording their global and local Ca2+ transients.