After 2 recent genetic studies in mice addressing the developmental origins and regenerative activity of cardiac cKit+ cells, 2 additional reports by Sultana et al and Liu et al provide further information on the expression of cKit in the embryonic and adult hearts. Here, we synthesize the findings from the 4 distinct cKit models to gain insights into the biology of this important cell type.
Keywords: cell differentiation; cell- and tissue-based therapy; coronary vessels; endothelial cells; myocytes, cardiac.
© 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.