Nicola Smart

Organ-specific and conserved regulatory logic orchestrates gene expression in the embryonic mesothelium

The paper identifies regulatory elements and transcription factors governing gene expression in the embryonic mesothelium across three organs, revealing conserved and organ-specific mechanisms.

Transcriptomic analysis of adult mouse cardiac stromal cells using single-cell qRT-PCR

This study compares two methods for isolating cardiac progenitor cells, finding that the collagenase-trypsin protocol yields more cells and shares a gene expression profile with cardiosphere-derived cells.

Distinct roles of the Lyve1 lineage in heart development

The paper identifies distinct roles of the Lyve1 lineage in heart development, showing its contribution to multiple cardiovascular cell types and demonstrating functional consequences of genetic perturbations.

Precision Targeting of Troponin I Phosphorylation Prevents Diastolic Dysfunction while Preserving Systolic Performance

This paper identifies a nanodomain mechanism regulating troponin I phosphorylation and demonstrates a peptide that selectively enhances relaxation without compromising systolic function in heart failure.

Essential regulation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan signalling controls cell behaviour to support cardiac development

This study shows SULF1, expressed in the epicardium, regulates HSPG sulfation to control cardiac development by modulating signaling and cell fate.

microRNA-210 enhances cell survival and paracrine potential for cardiac cell therapy while targeting mitophagy.

This study shows that miR-210 improves cardiac progenitor cell survival and paracrine function by inhibiting apoptosis and mitophagy, and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and growth factor secretion.

The extracellular heparan sulfatase SULF2 limits myeloid IFNbeta signaling and Th17 responses in inflammatory arthritis.

This study shows that SULF2 limits myeloid IFNβ signaling and Th17 responses in inflammatory arthritis by modulating heparan sulfate remodeling.

Maternal iron deficiency impacts the placental arterial network.

The paper identifies molecular markers for placental arterial and venous endothelial cells and shows maternal iron deficiency impairs the arterial vascular network.

SRSF3 is a key regulator of epicardial formation

This study identifies SRSF3 as a key regulator of epicardial formation by controlling cell proliferation and revealing its interactions with cell cycle regulators through single-cell RNA-sequencing and endogenous irCLIP.

Spatiotemporal analysis reveals significant overlap of key proepicardial markers in the developing murine heart

The paper investigates the expression of five epicardial markers during murine heart development, showing their co-expression and sequential downregulation, challenging the pre-committed fate model.