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Wong D, Martinez J, Quijada P. Exploring the Function of Epicardial Cells Beyond the Surface. Circ Res 2024; 135:353-371. [PMID: 38963865 PMCID: PMC11225799 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.321567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
The epicardium, previously viewed as a passive outer layer around the heart, is now recognized as an essential component in development, regeneration, and repair. In this review, we explore the cellular and molecular makeup of the epicardium, highlighting its roles in heart regeneration and repair in zebrafish and salamanders, as well as its activation in young and adult postnatal mammals. We also examine the latest technologies used to study the function of epicardial cells for therapeutic interventions. Analysis of highly regenerative animal models shows that the epicardium is essential in regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation, transient fibrosis, and neovascularization. However, despite the epicardium's unique cellular programs to resolve cardiac damage, it remains unclear how to replicate these processes in nonregenerative mammalian organisms. During myocardial infarction, epicardial cells secrete signaling factors that modulate fibrotic, vascular, and inflammatory remodeling, which differentially enhance or inhibit cardiac repair. Recent transcriptomic studies have validated the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of the epicardium across various species and developmental stages, shedding further light on its function under pathological conditions. These studies have also provided insights into the function of regulatory epicardial-derived signaling molecules in various diseases, which could lead to new therapies and advances in reparative cardiovascular medicine. Moreover, insights gained from investigating epicardial cell function have initiated the development of novel techniques, including using human pluripotent stem cells and cardiac organoids to model reparative processes within the cardiovascular system. This growing understanding of epicardial function holds the potential for developing innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at addressing developmental heart disorders, enhancing regenerative therapies, and mitigating cardiovascular disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wong
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
| | - Julie Martinez
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
| | - Pearl Quijada
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
- Eli and Edythe Broad Stem Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90029
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2
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Ahuja S, Adjekukor C, Li Q, Kocha KM, Rosin N, Labit E, Sinha S, Narang A, Long Q, Biernaskie J, Huang P, Childs SJ. The development of brain pericytes requires expression of the transcription factor nkx3.1 in intermediate precursors. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002590. [PMID: 38683849 PMCID: PMC11081496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain pericytes are one of the critical cell types that regulate endothelial barrier function and activity, thus ensuring adequate blood flow to the brain. The genetic pathways guiding undifferentiated cells into mature pericytes are not well understood. We show here that pericyte precursor populations from both neural crest and head mesoderm of zebrafish express the transcription factor nkx3.1 develop into brain pericytes. We identify the gene signature of these precursors and show that an nkx3.1-, foxf2a-, and cxcl12b-expressing pericyte precursor population is present around the basilar artery prior to artery formation and pericyte recruitment. The precursors later spread throughout the brain and differentiate to express canonical pericyte markers. Cxcl12b-Cxcr4 signaling is required for pericyte attachment and differentiation. Further, both nkx3.1 and cxcl12b are necessary and sufficient in regulating pericyte number as loss inhibits and gain increases pericyte number. Through genetic experiments, we have defined a precursor population for brain pericytes and identified genes critical for their differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchit Ahuja
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Cynthia Adjekukor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Katrinka M. Kocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Nicole Rosin
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Elodie Labit
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Sarthak Sinha
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Ankita Narang
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Quan Long
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jeff Biernaskie
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Sarah J. Childs
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Du J, Yuan X, Deng H, Huang R, Liu B, Xiong T, Long X, Zhang L, Li Y, She Q. Single-cell and spatial heterogeneity landscapes of mature epicardial cells. J Pharm Anal 2023; 13:894-907. [PMID: 37719196 PMCID: PMC10499659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpha.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Tbx18, Wt1, and Tcf21 have been identified as epicardial markers during the early embryonic stage. However, the gene markers of mature epicardial cells remain unclear. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis was performed with the Seurat, Monocle, and CellphoneDB packages in R software with standard procedures. Spatial transcriptomics was performed on chilled Visium Tissue Optimization Slides (10x Genomics) and Visium Spatial Gene Expression Slides (10x Genomics). Spatial transcriptomics analysis was performed with Space Ranger software and R software. Immunofluorescence, whole-mount RNA in situ hybridization and X-gal staining were performed to validate the analysis results. Spatial transcriptomics analysis revealed distinct transcriptional profiles and functions between epicardial tissue and non-epicardial tissue. Several gene markers specific to postnatal epicardial tissue were identified, including Msln, C3, Efemp1, and Upk3b. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis revealed that cardiac cells from wildtype mouse hearts (from embryonic day 9.5 to postnatal day 9) could be categorized into six major cell types, which included epicardial cells. Throughout epicardial development, Wt1, Tbx18, and Upk3b were consistently expressed, whereas genes including Msln, C3, and Efemp1 exhibited increased expression during the mature stages of development. Pseudotime analysis further revealed two epicardial cell fates during maturation. Moreover, Upk3b, Msln, Efemp1, and C3 positive epicardial cells were enriched in extracellular matrix signaling. Our results suggested Upk3b, Efemp1, Msln, C3, and other genes were mature epicardium markers. Extracellular matrix signaling was found to play a critical role in the mature epicardium, thus suggesting potential therapeutic targets for heart regeneration in future clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlin Du
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Haijun Deng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Institute for Viral Hepatitis, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Rongzhong Huang
- Precision Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Tianhua Xiong
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Xianglin Long
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Yingrui Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Qiang She
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
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4
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Zhuo D, Lei I, Li W, Liu L, Li L, Ni J, Liu Z, Fan G. The origin, progress, and application of cell-based cardiac regeneration therapy. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:1732-1755. [PMID: 37334836 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a severe threat to human health, with morbidity and mortality increasing yearly and gradually becoming younger. When the disease progresses to the middle and late stages, the loss of a large number of cardiomyocytes is irreparable to the body itself, and clinical drug therapy and mechanical support therapy cannot reverse the development of the disease. To explore the source of regenerated myocardium in model animals with the ability of heart regeneration through lineage tracing and other methods, and develop a new alternative therapy for CVDs, namely cell therapy. It directly compensates for cardiomyocyte proliferation through adult stem cell differentiation or cell reprogramming, which indirectly promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation through non-cardiomyocyte paracrine, to play a role in heart repair and regeneration. This review comprehensively summarizes the origin of newly generated cardiomyocytes, the research progress of cardiac regeneration based on cell therapy, the opportunity and development of cardiac regeneration in the context of bioengineering, and the clinical application of cell therapy in ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danping Zhuo
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Ienglam Lei
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Wenjun Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Jingyu Ni
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Guanwei Fan
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medical Formulae, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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Xia Y, Duca S, Perder B, Dündar F, Zumbo P, Qiu M, Yao J, Cao Y, Harrison MRM, Zangi L, Betel D, Cao J. Activation of a transient progenitor state in the epicardium is required for zebrafish heart regeneration. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7704. [PMID: 36513650 PMCID: PMC9747719 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35433-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The epicardium, a mesothelial cell tissue that encompasses vertebrate hearts, supports heart regeneration after injury through paracrine effects and as a source of multipotent progenitors. However, the progenitor state in the adult epicardium has yet to be defined. Through single-cell RNA-sequencing of isolated epicardial cells from uninjured and regenerating adult zebrafish hearts, we define the epithelial and mesenchymal subsets of the epicardium. We further identify a transiently activated epicardial progenitor cell (aEPC) subpopulation marked by ptx3a and col12a1b expression. Upon cardiac injury, aEPCs emerge from the epithelial epicardium, migrate to enclose the wound, undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and differentiate into mural cells and pdgfra+hapln1a+ mesenchymal epicardial cells. These EMT and differentiation processes are regulated by the Tgfβ pathway. Conditional ablation of aEPCs blocks heart regeneration through reduced nrg1 expression and mesenchymal cell number. Our findings identify a transient progenitor population of the adult epicardium that is indispensable for heart regeneration and highlight it as a potential target for enhancing cardiac repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xia
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Sierra Duca
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Björn Perder
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Friederike Dündar
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Paul Zumbo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Miaoyan Qiu
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jun Yao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yingxi Cao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Michael R M Harrison
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Lior Zangi
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Doron Betel
- Applied Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jingli Cao
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Sun Y, Kumar SR, Wong CED, Tian Z, Bai H, Crump JG, Bajpai R, Lien CL. Craniofacial and cardiac defects in chd7 zebrafish mutants mimic CHARGE syndrome. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1030587. [PMID: 36568983 PMCID: PMC9768498 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1030587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart defects occur in almost 80% of patients with CHARGE syndrome, a sporadically occurring disease causing craniofacial and other abnormalities due to mutations in the CHD7 gene. Animal models have been generated to mimic CHARGE syndrome; however, heart defects are not extensively described in zebrafish disease models of CHARGE using morpholino injections or genetic mutants. Here, we describe the co-occurrence of craniofacial abnormalities and heart defects in zebrafish chd7 mutants. These mutant phenotypes are enhanced in the maternal zygotic mutant background. In the chd7 mutant fish, we found shortened craniofacial cartilages and extra cartilage formation. Furthermore, the length of the ventral aorta is altered in chd7 mutants. Many CHARGE patients have aortic arch anomalies. It should be noted that the aberrant branching of the first branchial arch artery is observed for the first time in chd7 fish mutants. To understand the cellular mechanism of CHARGE syndrome, neural crest cells (NCCs), that contribute to craniofacial and cardiovascular tissues, are examined using sox10:Cre lineage tracing. In contrast to its function in cranial NCCs, we found that the cardiac NCC-derived mural cells along the ventral aorta and aortic arch arteries are not affected in chd7 mutant fish. The chd7 fish mutants we generated recapitulate some of the craniofacial and cardiovascular phenotypes found in CHARGE patients and can be used to further determine the roles of CHD7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Sun
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - S. Ram Kumar
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chee Ern David Wong
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Zhiyu Tian
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Haipeng Bai
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
| | - J. Gage Crump
- Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ruchi Bajpai
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ching Ling Lien
- Saban Research Institute and Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Ching Ling Lien,
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