Patent ID: 7732199

Claim:
A method of generating a cell composition containing cells of cardiomyocyte lineage from human embryonic stem (hES) cells, comprising: a) initiating differentiation of the hES cells in suspension culture by forming embryoid bodies in a media comprising serum; b) culturing the initiated cells so that they differentiate into cells that undergo spontaneous contraction; c) harvesting differentiated cells that demonstrate spontaneous contraction; d) separating the harvested cells into fractions based on density wherein the cells are present in a fraction having a density of about 1.05 g/ml, a fraction having a density of about 1.075 g/ml, a fraction including an upper interface of a gradient comprising a fraction having a density of about 1.05 g/ml, and a fraction having a density of about 1.075 g/ml, and a fraction including a lower interface of a gradient comprising a fraction having a density of about 1.05 g/ml, and a fraction having a density of about 1.075 g/ml; and e) isolating the cell fractions containing cells that express cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), or atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) from an endogenous gene; thereby generating a cell composition comprising cardiomyocyte lineage cells.