Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 22, 2026
08:49
Rapid In Situ Hybridization using Oligonucleotide Probes on Paraformaldehyde-prefixed Brain of Rats with Serotonin Syndrome
Published on: September 23, 2015
A novel role for serotonin in heart
1Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS, INSERM, Université L. Pasteur de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.
Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine
|December 1, 2001
Summary
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) signaling through the 5-HT(2B) receptor is crucial for embryonic heart development and adult cardiac function. Its absence causes severe cardiac defects and mortality.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Genetics
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) pathogenesis involves genetic and environmental factors.
- Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is implicated in cardiovascular regulation.
- The precise molecular mechanisms of 5-HT in embryonic heart development were previously unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role of serotonin signaling in embryonic heart development.
- To investigate the function of the 5-HT(2B) receptor (5-HT(2B)R) in cardiac differentiation and proliferation.
- To determine the impact of 5-HT(2B)R on cardiac structure and function throughout life.
Main Methods:
- Genetic inactivation of the 5-HT(2B)R gene in mice.
- Analysis of embryonic and neonatal cardiac development and morphology.
- Assessment of gene expression, including tyrosine kinase receptor ErbB-2.
- Evaluation of adult cardiac function using echocardiography and electrocardiography.
Main Results:
- 5-HT(2B)R mutant embryos displayed absent cardiac trabeculae and reduced ErbB-2 expression, leading to mid-gestation lethality.
- Neonatal mutants exhibited cardiac dilation due to impaired cardiomyocyte contractility and intercellular junction defects.
- Adult mutants showed persistent left ventricular dilation and reduced systolic function.
Conclusions:
- The 5-HT(2B)R is essential for embryonic cardiac differentiation, likely via the ErbB-2 signaling pathway.
- 5-HT signaling through 5-HT(2B)R regulates cardiomyocyte structure and function.
- This study provides the first genetic evidence for 5-HT's critical role in cardiac development and adult function.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms occurring when the heart's electrical impulses become abnormal. These disturbances can lead to various symptoms, depending on their severity and the underlying cause. Some common factors contributing to arrhythmias include hypoxia, ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, excessive catecholamine exposure, drug toxicity, and muscle overstretching. Arrhythmias can be classified into two main types based on the rate and site of origin of abnormal heart rhythms.
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
01:31Regulation of Heart Rates
The regulation of heart rate is a complex process controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), hormonal influences, and intrinsic cardiac mechanisms. The ANS has two main components: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...
01:27Development of the Heart
The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...
01:23Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists
Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...