| 摘要 |
<p>The invention provides methods for establishing electrical coupling between cardiomyocytes and recombinant cells which have been genetically engineered to express a gap junction protein, e.g., a connexin protein such as connexin 43 (Cx43) protein. The invention is based on the discovery that genetic modification of skeletal muscle cells to express a recombinant connexin, enables the genetically modified cells to establish electrocommunication with cardiac cells via gap junctions. The recombinant connexin-expressing cells can be used for repair of cardiac tissue and for treatment of cardiac disease by transplantation into cardiac tissue.</p> |
