Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiovascular Cells: From Developmental Biology to Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

Advances in our understanding of cardiovascular development have provided a roadmap for the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to the major cell types found in the heart. In this Perspective, we review the state of the field in generating and maturing cardiovascular cells from hPSCs based on our fundamental understanding of heart development. We then highlight their applications for studying human heart development, modeling disease-performing drug screening, and cell replacement therapy. With the advancements highlighted here, the promise that hPSCs will deliver new treatments for degenerative and debilitating diseases may soon be fulfilled.

Keywords: atrial cardiomyocytes; cardiac conduction system; cardiac progenitors; cardiovascular development; cell therapy; disease modeling; human pluripotent stem cells; model of human development; ventricular cardiomyocytes.