Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Large-scale Zebrafish Embryonic Heart Dissection for Transcriptional Analysis
Published on: January 12, 2015
A catalogue of genes in the cardiovascular system as identified by expressed sequence tags
Abstract:
The heart, which is composed of all the cellular components of the circulatory system, is a representative organ for obtaining genes expressed in the cardiovascular system in normal and disease states. We used partial sequences of cDNA clones, or expressed sequence tags, to identify and tag genes expressed in this organ. More than 3500 partial sequences representing > 3000 cDNA clones have been obtained from either the 5' or 3' end of inserts derived from human heart cDNA libraries. Of 3132 cDNA clones analyzed by sequence similarity searching against the GenBank/EMBL data bases, 1485 (47.4%) were found to represent additional, previously undiscovered genes, whereas 267 clones were matched to human brain expressed sequence tags. Clones matching to known genes were catalogued according to their putative structural and cellular functions. cDNA probes from reverse-transcribed mRNAs of fetal and adult hearts were used to study differential expression of selected clones in cardiac development. Cataloguing genes expressed in the heart may provide insight into the genes involved in health and cardiovascular disease.
Related Concept Videos
Anatomy of the Circulatory System
Overview of the Vascular System
Overview of the Cardiovascular System
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...
Regulation of the Cardiovascular System
The regulation of the cardiovascular system involves the autonomic nervous system (ANS), baroreceptors, and chemoreceptors, ensuring that heart rate and blood pressure are appropriately modulated in response to varying physiological demands.
The ANS comprises two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system enhances...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...

