Featured
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Review Article |
Vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis
In this Review, Mallat and colleagues critically evaluate the studies on the origin, fate and functions of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerosis, highlighting the importance of developmental origin, clonal expansion and plasticity of VSMCs cells in atherosclerosis and summarizing the roles of VSMCs and VSMC-derived cells in plaque development and progression.
- Gemma L. Basatemur
- , Helle F. Jørgensen
- & Ziad Mallat
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Review Article |
The deployment of cell lineages that form the mammalian heart
In this Review, Meilhac and Buckingham discuss the origin of cardiac cell populations, their lineage relationships and the genes that regulate their behaviour and differentiation. Characterizing the progenitor cells that form the heart and the gene regulatory networks controlling their deployment is of major importance for understanding the origin of congenital heart malformations and for developing cardiac regeneration therapies.
- Sigolène M. Meilhac
- & Margaret E. Buckingham
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News & Views |
The complex biology of KIT+ cells in the heart
Early studies showing that KIT+ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) could differentiate into cardiomyocytes generated excitement regarding their potential therapeutic application. Subsequent studies called their functional relevance into question, and while claims for a contribution of KIT+ CPCs to myocardial regeneration continue, two new studies confirm the doubts about their relevance to cardiomyogenesis and provide unexpected new insights.
- Giovanni Maroli
- & Thomas Braun
