Coculturing with endothelial cells promotes in vitro maturation and electrical coupling of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

The coculturing of differentiating cardiomyocytes with Akt-activated ECs but not EC-conditioned media results in (1) improved efficiency of the cardiomyocyte differentiation protocol and (2) increased maturity leading to better intercellular coupling with improved chronotropy and synchrony.