Modulation of Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels Induces Cardiogenesis of Pluripotent Stem Cells and Enrichment of Pacemaker-Like Cells

Abstract

SKCa activation drives the fate of pluripotent cells toward mesoderm commitment and cardiomyocyte specification, preferentially into nodal-like cardiomyocytes. This provides a novel strategy for the enrichment of cardiomyocytes and in particular, the generation of a specific subtype of cardiomyocytes, pacemaker-like cells, without genetic modification.