Concise Review: Maturation Phases of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Cardiomyocytes

Human pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes (hPS‐CM) may offer a number of advantages over previous cardiac models, however, questions of their immaturity complicate their adoption as a new in vitro model. hPS‐CM differ from adult cardiomyocytes with respect to structure, proliferation, metabolism and electrophysiology, better approximating fetal cardiomyocytes. Time in culture appears to significantly impact phenotype, leading to what can be referred to as early and late hPS‐CM. This work surveys the phenotype of hPS‐CM, including structure, bioenergetics, sensitivity to damage, gene expression, and electrophysiology, including action potential, ion channels, and intracellular calcium stores, while contrasting fetal and adult CM with hPS‐CM at early and late time points after onset of differentiation. STEM CELLS 2013;31:829–837