Higher cell culture density of human iPSC-cardiomyocytes significantly increased KCNJ2 gene expression and Kir2.1 protein levels, leading to reduced spontaneous beating frequency.
Culturing hiPSC-CMs at higher densities to form syncytia increases Kir2.1 expression and functional Ik1 contribution, yielding a more mature and physiologically relevant electrophysiological phenotype.
p-value: p=0.026
We identify cell culture density and cell-cell contact as an important factor in determining the expression of a key ion channel at the transcriptional and the protein levels, KCNJ2/Kir2.1, and its contribution to the electrophysiology of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Our results indicate that studies on isolated cells, out of tissue context, may underestimate the cellular ion channel properties being characterized.
Li et al. (Mon,) conducted a other in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). High cell culture density (syncytial growth) vs. Low to medium cell culture density (12,500 - 25,000 cells/well) was evaluated on KCNJ2 gene expression (p=0.026). Higher cell culture density of human iPSC-cardiomyocytes significantly increased KCNJ2 gene expression and Kir2.1 protein levels, leading to reduced spontaneous beating frequency.