Different types of cultured human adult cardiac progenitor cells have a high degree of transcriptome similarity

Taken together, our data suggest that human CPCs can be iso- lated from patient heart biopsies using different markers, such as c-kit or Sca-1- like, and alternative methodologies, via direct cell iso- lation or via explant culture, such as CSps and CDCs. For the first time, however, we showed that upon culture expansion, these cell populations have a very similar gene expression profile, even more pronounced when cultured in comparable culture conditions and even transcended by donor differences. Our findings are of fundamental importance to create a con- sensus among different scientists in the field of myocardial regenera- tion, which should help align future clinical approaches to improve the reported beneficial effects of cell therapy for heart disease by using cardiac derived progenitor cell populations.