| Inventors
Dr. Larry F. Lemanski
Professor, Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Chi Zhang
Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Biomedical Sciences IP Status
U.S. Patent Application 10/822,496, filed 4/12/2004 Contact Information
Office of Technology Transfer
777 Glades Road, ADM 218
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991 Kurt R. Moore
Assistant V.P. & Director
Ph: 561-297-1165
Fax: 561-297-2141
kmoore34@fau.edu Michelle Webb
Assistant Director
Ph: 561-297-0673
Fax: 561-297-2141
mwebb18@fau.edu Case Number
2003-03
 | Description A novel method of inducing and restoring cardiac muscle function made based on the discovery of RNA-protein interactions that lead to myofibrillogenesis in heart muscle cells. More specifically, proteins have been discovered that specifically bind to “myofibrillogenesis inducing RNA” (MIR). MIR is an RNA molecule expressed in embryonic endoderm, with the ability to be transported into cells when applied alone and induce formation of myofibrils in differentiating cardiomyocytes in an animal model of heart development. It is further shown that total RNA extracted from adult mammalian (sheep) heart which might contain similar RNA as MIR has the ability to promote (“rescue”) heart cell differentiation in mutant salamanders, enabling these cells to exhibit normal rhythmic contractions, tropomyosin distribution, and myofibril formation. Advantages - Effective in inducing heart cell development
- Small in size
Potential Applications - Possible treatment for human patients recovering from heart attack, familial cardiomyopathies or other heart diseases.
- Drug delivery and genetic therapy
The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma Mexicanum) is a neotenous salamander indigenous to Mexico. The ability to manipulate the axolotl’s large eggs as well as the ease of rearing and handling the axolotl in the laboratory have made it an ideal experimental animal. The axolotls carry a number of naturally occurring genetic mutations among which is a simple recessive cardiac lethal mutation. 
Confocal scanning microscopy observation of normal and c/c mutant embryonic axolotl hearts subjected to in vitro bioassays
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Updated August 10, 2008 |
