Application

MEC1 mouse embryonic epicardial cell line is a useful model for cardiac developmental biology studies.

Research Sub CategoryDevelopmental Signaling

Research CategoryCardiac

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Cell Line Description

Epicardial Cells

Disclaimer

Unless otherwise stated in our catalog or other company documentation accompanying the product(s), our products are intended for research use only and are not to be used for any other purpose, which includes but is not limited to, unauthorized commercial uses, in vitro diagnostic uses, ex vivo or in vivo therapeutic uses or any type of consumption or application to humans or animals.

General description

Heart development is guided by mitogenic factors secreted by the epicardium, a cell layer that overlays the myocardium in the mid-gestation embryonic heart. Despite the importance of these factors in directing cardiomyocyte proliferation and morphogenesis, they are not well-characterized. Cellular models of the embryonic epicardium are thus essential for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of cardiac development.

MEC1 is an immortalized mouse embryonic epicardial cell line that does not express myocardial or endothelial cell lineages. MEC1 cells retain the morphology of early primary epicardial cells and express epicardium-specific markers including epicardin (Tcf21), Tbx18 and cytokeratin-18. MEC1 cells localized ZO-1 and beta-catenin in adherens junctions at the cell membrane and possessed organized actin cytoskeletal filaments. The native physiological features of the MEC1 cell line contribute to its suitability for addressing a wide range of questions in cardiac developmental biology.

Source:
Non-GMO. MEC1 is a stable cell line derived from primary cultures of E13.5 wild-type embryonic ventricles of an ICR/CD1 strain mouse. Individual colonies that retained early epicardial cell morphology underwent several iterative rounds of subcloning.

Reference:
Li P, Cavallero S, Gu Y, Chen TH, Hughes J, Hassan AB, Brüning JC, Pashmforoush M, Sucov HM (2011). IGF signaling directs ventricular cardiomyocyte proliferation during embryonic heart development. Development 138(9): 1795-17805.

Quality

Each vial contains ≥ 1X10⁶ viable cells.
Cells are tested negative for infectious diseases by a Mouse Essential CLEAR panel by Charles River Animal Diagnostic Services.
Cells are verified to be of mouse origin and negative for inter-species contamination from rat, chinese hamster, Golden Syrian hamster, human and non-human primate (NHP) as assessed by a Contamination CLEAR panel by Charles River Animal Diagnostic Services.
Cells are negative for mycoplasma contamination

Storage and Stability

Store in liquid nitrogen. The cells can be cultured for at least 10 passages after initial thawing without significantly affecting the cell marker expression and functionality.