US 2014/0154728 A1 · COMPOSITIONS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS BASED ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF EPICARDIAL CELLS TO TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL FATES

Abstract

Disclosed are epicardium-derived mesenchymal cells (EPDCs) that differentiate to fates that are commonly adopted by mesenchymal cells elsewhere in the body, but not currently associated with the epicardium. Also disclosed are methods, systems and assays relating to adipocyte and/or osteogenic differentiation in EPDCs that are often related to disease or disregulated states, i.e. the “atypical” fates of epicardium-derived cells. Disclosed are specific EPDC cells that model both the typical fates and atypical fates of EPDCs, and resultant uses of such EPDC cells in systems, methods, compositions and drug discovery.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of identifying a compound for preventing and/or treating coronary calcification or a disease state associated with coronary calcification comprising:

obtaining EPDC cells and providing the EPDC cells in a medium comprising a phosphate source;
adding a test compound to the medium, in the presence of the EPDC cells and the phosphate source;
measuring a calcium mineralization response;
comparing the calcium mineralization response in the sample comprising the EPDC cells, phosphate source and test compound with a calcium mineralization response of in a control without the test compound;
and
selecting a test compound that reduces the mineralization response in the presence of test compound compared to a mineralization response in the control.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Compositions, systems and methods based on the differentiation of epicardial cells to typical and atypical fates

Life of this patent

Compositions, systems and methods based on the differentiation of epicardial cells to typical and atypical fates

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16