Title:

Histone Modifications during the Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, constituting a quarter of total deaths every year. One reason behind the high mortality of heart disease is the limited regenerative capacity of cardiomyocytes (CMs), which carry out the contractile function for the heart. Lineage-specific differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into CMs provides a promising therapeutic strategy, warranting in-depth research for the mechanistic understanding of this sophisticated process. This project focuses on histone proteins, which are important components of nucleosome and their modifications influence a multitude of cellular processes include differentiation. Furthermore, three-dimensional culture systems, such as microporous hydrogel, have been demonstrated to promote CM differentiation but little is known about the underlying mechanism. Using mass spectrometry, the histone modifications landscape changes during embryonic stem cell differentiation and culturing in microporous hydrogel, can be characterized and then used to further understand the differentiation process.

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