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Efficient Derivation of Human Cardiac Precursors and Cardiomyocytes from Pluripotent Human Embryonic Stem Cells with Small Molecule Induction
Published on: November 3, 2011
Elevated expression of Nkx-2.5 in developing myocardial conduction cells.
P S Thomas1, H Kasahara, A M Edmonson
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Imperial College School of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom. Penny.Thomas@ic.ac.uk
The Anatomical Record
|July 17, 2001
Summary
The transcription factor Nkx-2.5 is dynamically expressed in developing heart conduction systems of chicks, mice, and humans. Its expression level helps regulate specialized cell fate in embryonic myocardial cells.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Development
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Cardiology
Background:
- Embryonic heart development involves cardiomyogenic cells differentiating into various cell types, including the cardiac conduction system.
- The precise transcriptional regulation governing this phenotypic divergence is not fully understood.
- Nkx-2.5 is a known transcription factor involved in early heart development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the transcription factor Nkx-2.5 in the later stages of cardiac development.
- To determine the expression patterns of Nkx-2.5 mRNA and protein in developing hearts.
- To explore the potential involvement of Nkx-2.5 in the formation of the cardiac conduction system.
Main Methods:
- In situ hybridization was used to analyze Nkx-2.5 mRNA expression in embryonic chick, fetal mouse, and human hearts.
- Immunolocalization was employed to detect Nkx-2.5 protein in embryonic chick hearts.
- Expression patterns were analyzed across different developmental stages.
Main Results:
- Nkx-2.5 mRNA and protein expression levels showed significant nonuniformities during heart development.
- Elevated Nkx-2.5 expression was observed in the specialized cells of the cardiac conduction system compared to working myocardium.
- These expression patterns were consistent across chick, mouse, and human fetal hearts and were transient, correlating with conduction system development.
Conclusions:
- Nkx-2.5 exhibits a stage-dependent and tissue-restricted expression pattern within the developing cardiac conduction system.
- This dynamic expression suggests a role for Nkx-2.5, and its expression level, in regulating specialized cell fate selection in embryonic myocardial cells.
- The findings indicate potential conserved mechanisms in avian and mammalian heart development regarding Nkx-2.5 function.
