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Updated: Jun 29, 2026
Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart
Published on: March 26, 2015
Heart valve cardiomyocytes of mouse embryos express the serotonin transporter SERT
Luigi Michele Pavone1, Anna Spina1, Roberta Lo Muto1
1Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy; Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Abstract:
Multiple evidence demonstrate a role for serotonin and its transporter SERT in heart valve development and disease. By utilizing a Cre/loxP system driven by SERT gene expression, we recently demonstrated a regionally restricted distribution of SERT-expressing cells in developing mouse heart. In order to characterize the cell types exhibiting SERT expression within the mouse heart valves at early developmental stages, in this study we performed immunohistochemistry for Islet1 (Isl1) and connexin-43 (Cx-43) on heart sections from SERT(Cre/+);ROSA26R embryos previously stained with X-gal. We observed the co-localization of LacZ staining with Isl1 labelling in the outflow tract, the right ventricle and the conal region of E11.5 mouse heart. Cx-43 labelled cells co-localized with LacZ stained cells in the forming atrioventricular valves. These results demonstrate the cardiomyocyte phenotype of SERT-expressing cells in heart valves of the developing mouse heart, thus suggesting an active role of SERT in early heart valve development.
