Figure 8.
Changing plasticity of NkxCE-positive cells from embryonic development to adulthood. During cardiac development, multipotent NkxCE-positive cells are able to build cells of all lineages in the heart. In neonatal hearts few NkxCE-positive cells (cardiomyoblasts) are re-activated and were shown to be able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes and smooth muscle cells. However, MICs induced by MI in adult mouse hearts indeed exhibit a somewhat embryonic gene profile but do not fully revert back to an embryonic phenotype.