Rearrangement of intercellular junctions and cytoskeletal proteins during rabbit myocardium development

A direct and close association between desmosomes and intermediate-sized filaments of the keratin type exists in embryonic and in adult epithelial tissues. Cardiomyocytes are interconnected by spot-desmosomes, which are found in the intercalated disks and can be immunocytochemically detected by antibodies to desmoplakins. In this study, at the light microscopical level, we describe an interaction of keratin filaments with desmoplakins during rabbit myocardiogenesis. In the early stages (0-1 somites), desmoplakins are more abundant in the heart anlagen than in the adjacent intra- and extraembryonic mesoderm. During development of the myocardium, desmoplakin expression gradually rearranges from an apicolateral into an intercalated disk localization in later states. Keratin expression in the developing myocardium of the rabbit heart decreases with the age of the embryo. Keratin filaments are gradually lost via dot-like aggregates which colocalize with desmoplakin-positive clusters. Our results suggest a role for keratins in the developmental rearrangement of desmoplakins into the intercalated disks. A direct relation of desmin and titin reorganization to desmoplakin rearrangement, which was examined because of the dominant role of these proteins in cardiogenesis, was not found.