eLife October, 2022 by Alexandra Wiesinger et al.
A single cell transcriptional roadmap of human pacemaker cell differentiation

Wiesinger et al. combine SORT-seq analysis with trajectory inference to reconstruct lineage decisions of sinoatrial node–like cardiomyocytes (derived from induced pluripotent stem cells). WNT and TGFb signaling seem to play a role in these lineage decisions, the authors find.

Journal of Tissue Engineering October, 2022 by Jiuru Li et al.
Molecular and electrophysiological evaluation of human cardiomyocyte subtypes to facilitate generation of composite cardiac models

The authors directed the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells to three types of heart cell: sinoatrial nodal, atrial and ventricular cardyomyocytes. SORT-seq established that the protocols indeed yielded distinct cell populations in line with expected identities. Such models can progress the use of cardiomyocytes in drug development.

Cardiovascular Research September, 2022 by Monika M. Gladka et al.
Thymosin B4 and prothymosin A promote cardiac regeneration post-ischemic injury in mice

This study uses SORT-seq to reveal the transcriptional profile of proliferating cardiomyocytes in the ischemic heart. It shows that overexpression of the two identified factors, TMSB4 and PTMA, can promote cardiac regeneration. A supportive environment seems to be critical for regeneration in addition to activating cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Cell Reports May, 2022 by Martijn Wehrens et al.
Single-cell transcriptomics provides insights into hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Wehrens et al. perform single-cell RNA sequencing on the hearts of patients who suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This reveals cardiomyocyte subpopulations, gene regulatory networks, transcription factors, and hypertrophy-related genes that might be relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease.

Circulation January, 2018 by Monika M. Gladka et al.
Single-Cell Sequencing of the Healthy and Diseased Heart Reveals Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein 4 as a New Modulator of Fibroblasts Activation

With SORT-seq, the authors could obtain high-quality RNA from digested cardiac tissue from adult mice of both healthy and diseased hearts. They identified multiple subpopulations within certain types of cardiac cells and disease-specific cell subpopulations. The results suggest that cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 plays a role in modulating fibroblast activation in injured hearts.