Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
06:02
An Approach to Study Shape-Dependent Transcriptomics at a Single Cell Level
Published on: November 2, 2020
Functional modulation of cardiac form through regionally confined cell shape changes
Heidi J Auman1, Hope Coleman, Heather E Riley
1Developmental Genetics Program and Department of Cell Biology, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America.
Plos Biology
|February 22, 2007
Summary
Developing organs achieve their shape through cell shape changes. In zebrafish, blood flow and contractility influence cardiomyocyte shape, balancing physical forces for proper heart chamber formation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cardiovascular research
- Cellular morphogenesis
Background:
- Organ development requires precise three-dimensional shaping for function.
- Cardiac chamber formation from a primitive heart tube is crucial for heart function.
- The cellular mechanisms driving chamber shape remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of cell morphology in cardiac chamber development.
- To identify regulatory factors influencing cardiomyocyte shape during heart formation.
- To understand the interplay between physical forces and cell shape in organ morphogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized zebrafish as a model organism for studying heart development.
- Analyzed cardiomyocyte cell shape changes in developing zebrafish ventricles.
- Investigated zebrafish mutants with deficiencies in blood flow and sarcomere formation.
Main Results:
- Cardiomyocyte elongation and shape changes are key to forming ventricular chamber curvatures.
- Reduced blood circulation limited cardiomyocyte elongation.
- Disrupted sarcomere formation removed constraints on cardiomyocyte dimensions.
- Cell shape changes are regulated by both extrinsic (blood flow) and intrinsic (sarcomere formation) physical forces.
Conclusions:
- Regionally confined cardiomyocyte shape change is a cellular mechanism for chamber emergence.
- A balance of physical forces is essential for acquiring normal cardiomyocyte morphology.
- Cellular shape changes link form and function during organ development.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Mechanisms of Membrane-bending
The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
01:13Structure of Cardiac Muscles
Cardiac muscle, or myocardium, is a specialized type of muscle found exclusively in the heart. Its unique structural and functional characteristics enable the heart to perform its vital role of pumping blood throughout the body continuously and rhythmically. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, possess an endomysium and perimysium but do not have an epimysium.
Compared to skeletal muscles, cardiac muscle cells are small and mostly have a single nucleus. Additionally, they are usually...
Compared to skeletal muscles, cardiac muscle cells are small and mostly have a single nucleus. Additionally, they are usually...
01:27Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles
The primary role of cardiac muscles is to propel blood throughout the cardiovascular system. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, exhibit specialized characteristics that allow them to perform this function.
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy reserves in...
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy reserves in...
01:25Fascicle Arrangement in Skeletal Muscles
Fascicles are bundles of muscle fibers in a skeletal muscle. Muscle fascicle arrangement is directly associated with the power and range of motion of various muscles. The configuration of these fascicles can vary, leading to different functional outcomes.
The four primary types of muscle based on fascicle arrangement are:
The four primary types of muscle based on fascicle arrangement are:
01:19Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
The normal cardiac rhythm is a synchronized electrical activity that facilitates the regular and coordinated contraction of the heart muscle. This process is essential for efficient blood circulation throughout the body. The fundamental elements involved in establishing and maintaining this rhythm include the unique electrical properties of cardiac muscle cells, the sinoatrial (SA) node's pacemaker function, the specialized conducting system, and the ionic mechanisms underlying each phase of...
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...