23 Jul EMBRYONAL CARDIAC MUSCLE CELLS, THEIR PREPARATION AND THEIR USE
Abstract
The invention concerns embryonal (cardiomyocytary and cardiomyoblastary) cardiac muscle cells, their preparation and their use, in particular for cell-mediated gene transplant. The areas of application of the invention are medicine and genetic engineering. The embryonal cardiac muscle cells according to the invention contain two gene constructs comprising: a) a regulatory, 2.1-kb long DNA sequence of the ventricle-specific myosin light-chain-2 (MLC-2v) promoter, the selectable marker gene beta -galactosidase in fusion with the reporter gene neomycin; and b) a regulatory DNA sequence of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter and the selectable marker gene hygromycin. and optionally immortalising genes and/or optionally genes inactivated by homologous recombination and/or optionally one or a plurality of therapeutic genes. The cells can advantageously be used for cell-mediated gene transplant, in particular for constructing healthy tissue and assisting contractile functions, for investigating substances, in particular for pharmacological investigations and for the transfer of therapeutic genes into the myocardium.
Year: 1996
Country: WO
Doc No: 9616163