Human cardiac stem cells (hCSCs) express the embryonic stem cell markers and differentiate into cardiomyocytes to support cardiac function when transplanted into ischemic myocardium.
Heart samples from patients undergoing cardiac surgery were excised, minced, and digested with type II collagenase (0.2%) and DNase I (0.01%) to obtain single-cell suspensions to generate cardiospheres. Cardiospheres were mechanically selected from the cultures and expanded in DMEM/F12 medium containing FBS (10%), penicillin and streptomycin (2%), and human recombinant bFGF (40ng/ml).