Cardiomyogenic potential of skeletal muscle-derived progenitor cells

Skeletal muscle-derived progenitor cells were isolated according to their low-adherence property. We observed a heterogeneous population of cells some of which started to beat spontaneously. Single cell PCR showed that beating and non-beating cells expressed the cardiac markers cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and A-myosin heavy chain (alpha MHC) and the skeletal muscle marker myogenin. Upon electrical stimulation, the round cells generated short, skeletal-muscle like action potentials (APs) which were blocked by cadmium (Cd2+), suggesting the involvement of cardiac-specific Na+ channels. It is concluded that the cells isolated exhibit a dual nature and might indeed have a cardiomyogenic potential.