Table 1.
Challenges and opportunities of de novo generated cardiomyocytes for disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative therapies
| Parameters | CM generation strategy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| iPSC reprogramming and differentiation | Direct reprogramming | Human ESC differentiation | |
| Mechanism | De-differentiation to iPSCs followed by specific differentiation to CMs | Transdifferentiation | Specific differentiation to CMs |
| Timeline | 2–3 months | 2–3 weeks | 2–3 weeks |
| Efficiencies (% cTnT) | 90–95% | 9–13% | 90–95% |
| Genome editing, isogenic controls | Yes | No | Yes |
| Genetic variation | Yes | Not yet determined | No |
| Disease modeling, drug development | Yes | Current efficiencies too low | Yes |
| Patient-specific assessment of phenotypes and drug function | Yes | Currently undergoing investigation | No |
| In vivo preclinical evaluation of regenerative therapies | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clinical safety and efficacy | Not yet determined | Not yet determined | Currently undergoing investigation |
| Ethical concerns | No | No | Yes |