Improved protocol for cardiac differentiation and maturation of pluripotent stem cells

Abstract

Pluripotent stem cells feature the capacity to differentiate into any somatic cell types including cardiomyocytes. We report a cost-effective and simple protocol for the differentiation of specific ventricular cardiomyocytes. These cells are elongated, do not spontaneously beat, and do not feature any Ca2+-transient, an index of their stage of maturation toward adult cardiac cells. They represent a suitable model to screen both the efficiency and toxicology of drugs.