Cellular Plasticity in the Diabetic Myocardium
Abstract
Heart fibrosis and loss of blood vessels are prominent pathologic abnormalities in diabetics that lead to the development of heart failure. Moreover, reduced angiogenesis after a heart attack is responsible for defective myocardial repair in diabetic subjects. Although the negative impact of diabetes on the heart is widely appreciated, the cellular alterations and molecular signals involved in fibrosis and blood vessel loss in diabetes remain unknown. Applying genetic fate mapping tools, we have uncovered an unexpected plasticity and heterogeneity in reparative cells and identified common cellular links between angiogenesis and fibrosis. We investigate the role of these novel biological mechanisms in the pro-fibrotic and angiostatic effects of diabetes, focusing on the contribution of pericytes and endothelial cells in the cardiac tissue repair process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1062505
Entities
People
- Antonis Hatzopoulos
Organizations
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center