Regenerative potential of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived PDGFRα+ cardiac lineage committed cells in infarcted myocardium

Figure 3 Integration and differentiation of implanted platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells in the infarcted heart. A: tdTomato-tagged platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα)⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells (CLCs) or αMHC⁺ cardiomyocytes (CMs) were implanted into the infracted myocardium and integration was confirmed by immunostaining. tdTomato⁺/α-MHC-GFP⁺ cells (white arrowheads) are implanted PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and αMHC⁺ CMs. Scale bars, 100 μm; B: Representative confocal images showing differentiation of tdTomato⁺ PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and αMHC⁺ CMs into cardiomyocytes 15 d after the implantation. αSMA-expressing cells were negative for tdTomato or α-MHC-GFP signal as shown in the inlet. Scale bars, 25 μm; C: Percentages of α-actinin⁺ CMs, CD31 endothelial cells and αSMA⁺ smooth muscle cells of the implanted PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and αMHC⁺ CMs. Each group, n = 4. Scale bars, 20 μm. CLCs: Cardiac lineage-committed cells; CMs: Cardiomyocytes; MI: Myocardial infarction; ECs: Endothelial cells; SMCs: Smooth muscle cells.