Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Analysis of Cardiac Chamber Development During Mouse Embryogenesis Using Whole Mount Epifluorescence
Published on: April 17, 2019
Ca2+ signalling in cardiogenesis
1CNRS FRE2593, CRBM, 1919, route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France. michel.puceat@crbm.cnrs.fr
Abstract:
A variety of InsP3-dependent Ca2+ signals coded in time, amplitude and space occur during the process of cardiac cell differentiation and heart development. Studies performed in both embryos and embryonic stem cell differentiating in cardiomyocytes have uncovered that Ca2+ regulates multiple steps of these biological processes in vertebrates. These include secretion of cardiogenic factors, cardiac transcriptional cascades and in turn gene expression, myofibrillogenesis and initiation of embryonic pacemaker activity. Evidence is accumulating to foresee Ca2+ as a major second messenger in directing the fate of stem cells and patterning the heart in the embryo.
Related Concept Videos
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
Intracellular Signaling Cascades
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways
Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers
Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
MAPK Signaling Cascades

