CTSG and myocardial infarction: To circumvent this limitation, we injected CVPs (2 × 106 cells) into the heart after induction of myocardial infarction, as well as the kidney capsules of NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NOD/SCID) mice to assess for long-term engraftment, differentiation and self-assembly capabilities of CVPs in vivo.