Nkx2.5-negative myocardium of the posterior heart field and its correlation with podoplanin expression in cells from the developing cardiac pacemaking and conduction system

TAPVR: Molecular Pathways and Animal Models

The venous pole of the heart where the pulmonary veins will develop encompasses the sinus venosus and the atrium. In the fourth week of development, the sinus venosus consists of a left and a right part receiving blood from the common cardinal vein, the omphalomesenteric and umbilical veins. Asymmetrical expansion of the common atrium corresponds with a rightward shift of the connection of the sinus to the atrium. The right-sided part of the sinus venosus including its tributing cardinal veins enlarges to form the right superior and inferior vena cava that will incorporate into the right atrium. The left-sided part in human development largely obliterates and remodels to form the coronary sinus in adults. In approximately the same time window (4th-fifth weeks), a splanchnic vascular plexus surrounds the developing lung buds (putative lungs) with a twofold connection. Of note, during early developmental stages, the primary route of drainage from the pulmonary plexus is toward the systemic veins and not to the heart. After lumenization of the so-called mid-pharyngeal endothelial strand (MPES), the first anlage of the pulmonary vein, the common pulmonary vein can be observed in the dorsal mesocardium, and the primary route of drainage will gradually change toward a cardiac drainage. The splanchnic pulmonary venous connections with the systemic cardinal veins will gradually disappear during normal development. In case of absence or atresia of the MPES, the pulmonary-to-systemic connections will persist, clinically resulting in total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR). This chapter describes the developmental processes and molecular pathways underlying anomalous pulmonary venous connections.

A single cell transcriptional roadmap of human pacemaker cell differentiation

Each heartbeat is triggered by the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart. Studies in animal models have revealed that pacemaker cells share a common progenitor with the (pro)epicardium, and that the pacemaker cardiomyocytes further diversify into ‘transitional’, ‘tail’, and ‘head’ subtypes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms, especially of human pacemaker cell development, are poorly understood. Here, we performed single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and trajectory inference on human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) differentiating to SAN-like cardiomyocytes (SANCMs) to construct a roadmap of transcriptional changes and lineage decisions. In differentiated SANCM, we identified distinct clusters that closely resemble different subpopulations of the in vivo SAN. Moreover, the presence of a side population of proepicardial cells suggested their shared ontogeny with SANCM, as also reported in vivo. Our results demonstrate that the divergence of SANCM and proepicardial lineages is determined by WNT signaling. Furthermore, we uncovered roles for TGFβ and WNT signaling in the branching of transitional and head SANCM subtypes, respectively. These findings provide new insights into the molecular processes involved in human pacemaker cell differentiation, opening new avenues for complex disease modeling in vitro and inform approaches for cell therapy-based regeneration of the SAN.

Post-Surgical Peritoneal Scarring and Key Molecular Mechanisms

Post-surgical adhesions are internal scar tissue and a major health and economic burden. Adhesions affect and involve the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity, which consists of a continuous mesothelial covering of the cavity wall and majority of internal organs. Our understanding of the full pathophysiology of adhesion formation is limited by the fact that the mechanisms regulating normal serosal repair and regeneration of the mesothelial layer are still being elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that mesothelial cells do not simply form a passive barrier but perform a wide range of important regulatory functions including maintaining a healthy peritoneal homeostasis as well as orchestrating events leading to normal repair or pathological outcomes following injury. Here, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of serosal repair and adhesion formation with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms and novel gene expression signatures associated with these processes. We discuss changes in mesothelial biomolecular marker expression during peritoneal development, which may help, in part, to explain findings in adults from lineage tracing studies using experimental adhesion models. Lastly, we highlight examples of where local tissue specialisation may determine a particular response of peritoneal cells to injury.

Role of Podoplanin-Positive Cells in Cardiac Fibrosis and Angiogenesis After Ischemia

New insights into the cellular and extra-cellular composition of scar tissue after myocardial infarction (MI) have been identified. Recently, a heterogeneous podoplanin-expressing cell population has been associated with fibrogenic and inflammatory responses and lymphatic vessel growth during scar formation. Podoplanin is a mucin-like transmembrane glycoprotein that plays an important role in heart development, cell motility, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. In the adult mouse heart, podoplanin is expressed only by cardiac lymphatic endothelial cells; after MI, it is acquired with an unexpected heterogeneity by PDGFRα-, PDGFRβ-, and CD34-positive cells. Podoplanin may therefore represent a sign of activation of a cohort of progenitor cells during different phases of post-ischemic myocardial wound repair. Podoplanin binds to C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2) which is exclusively expressed by platelets and a variety of immune cells. CLEC-2 is upregulated in CD11b^high cells, including monocytes and macrophages, following inflammatory stimuli. We recently published that inhibition of the interaction between podoplanin-expressing cells and podoplanin-binding cells using podoplanin-neutralizing antibodies reduces but does not fully suppress inflammation post-MI while improving heart function and scar composition after ischemic injury. These data support an emerging and alternative mechanism of interactome in the heart that, when neutralized, leads to altered inflammatory response and preservation of cardiac function and structure. The overarching objective of this review is to assimilate and discuss the available evidence on the functional role of podoplanin-positive cells on cardiac fibrosis and remodeling. A detailed characterization of cell-to-cell interactions and paracrine signals between podoplanin-expressing cells and the other type of cells that compose the heart tissue is needed to open a new line of investigation extending beyond the known function of these cells. This review attempts to discuss the role and biology of podoplanin-positive cells in the context of cardiac injury, repair, and remodeling.

Podoplanin Gene Disruption in Mice Promotes in vivo Neural Progenitor Cells Proliferation, Selectively Impairs Dentate Gyrus Synaptic Depression and Induces Anxiety-Like Behaviors

Podoplanin (Pdpn), a brain-tumor-related glycoprotein identified in humans and animals, is endogenously expressed in several organs critical for life support such as kidney, lung, heart and brain. In the brain, Pdpn has been identified in proliferative nestin-positive adult neural progenitor cells and in neurons of the neurogenic hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), a structure associated to anxiety, critical for learning and memory functions and severely damaged in people with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The in vivo role of Pdpn in adult neurogenesis and anxiety-like behavior remained however unexplored. Using mice with disrupted Pdpn gene as a model organism and applying combined behavioral, molecular biological and electrophysiological assays, we here show that the absence of Pdpn selectively impairs long-term synaptic depression in the neurogenic DG without affecting the CA3-Schaffer's collateral-CA1 synapses. Pdpn deletion also enhanced the proliferative capacity of DG neural progenitor cells and diminished survival of differentiated neuronal cells in vitro. In addition, mice with podoplanin gene disruption showed increased anxiety-like behaviors in experimentally validated behavioral tests as compared to wild type littermate controls. Together, these findings broaden our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms influencing hippocampal synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis in vivo and reveal Pdpn as a novel molecular target for future studies addressing general anxiety disorder and synaptic depression-related memory dysfunctions.

Development and evolution of the metazoan heart

The mechanisms of the evolution and development of the heart in metazoans are highlighted, starting with the evolutionary origin of the contractile cell, supposedly the precursor of cardiomyocytes. The last eukaryotic common ancestor is likely a combination of several cellular organisms containing their specific metabolic pathways and genetic signaling networks. During evolution, these tool kits diversified. Shared parts of these conserved tool kits act in the development and functioning of pumping hearts and open or closed circulations in such diverse species as arthropods, mollusks, and chordates. The genetic tool kits became more complex by gene duplications, addition of epigenetic modifications, influence of environmental factors, incorporation of viral genomes, cardiac changes necessitated by air‐breathing, and many others. We evaluate mechanisms involved in mollusks in the formation of three separate hearts and in arthropods in the formation of a tubular heart. A tubular heart is also present in embryonic stages of chordates, providing the septated four‐chambered heart, in birds and mammals passing through stages with first and second heart fields. The four‐chambered heart permits the formation of high‐pressure systemic and low‐pressure pulmonary circulation in birds and mammals, allowing for high metabolic rates and maintenance of body temperature. Crocodiles also have a (nearly) separated circulation, but their resting temperature conforms with the environment. We argue that endothermic ancestors lost the capacity to elevate their body temperature during evolution, resulting in ectothermic modern crocodilians. Finally, a clinically relevant paragraph reviews the occurrence of congenital cardiac malformations in humans as derailments of signaling pathways during embryonic development.

The cardiac regulatory toolkit contains many factors including epigenetic, genetic, viral, hemodynamic, and environmental factors, but also transcriptional activators, repressors, duplicated genes, redundancies and dose‐dependancies.

Numerous toolkits regulate mechanisms including cell‐cell interactions, EMT, mitosis patterns, cell migration and differentiation and left/right sidedness involved in the development of endocardial cushions, looping, septum complexes, pharyngeal arch arteries, chamber and valve formation and conduction system.

Evolutionary development of the yolk sac circulation likely preceded the advent of endothermy in amniotes.

Parallel evolutionary traits regulate the development of contractile pumps in various taxa often in conjunction with the gut, lungs and excretory organs.

RHOA-ROCK signalling is necessary for lateralization and differentiation of the developing sinoatrial node

Aims

RHOA-ROCK signalling regulates cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and transcription. RHOA is expressed in the developing cardiac conduction system in chicken and mice. In early development, the entire sinus venosus myocardium, including both the transient left-sided and the definitive sinoatrial node (SAN), has pacemaker potential. Later, pacemaker potential is restricted to the right-sided SAN. Disruption of RHOA expression in adult mice causes arrhythmias including bradycardia and atrial fibrillation, the mechanism of which is unknown but presumed to affect the SAN. The aim of this study is to assess the role of RHOA-ROCK signalling in SAN development in the chicken heart.

Methods and results

ROCK signalling was inhibited chemically in embryonic chicken hearts using Y-27632. This prolonged the immature state of the sinus venosus myocardium, evidenced by up-regulation of the transcription factor ISL1, wide distribution of pacemaker potential, and significantly reduced heart rate. Furthermore ROCK inhibition caused aberrant expression of typical SAN genes: ROCK1, ROCK2, SHOX2, TBX3, TBX5, ISL1, HCN4, CX40, CAV3.1, and NKX2.5 and left-right asymmetry genes: PITX2C and NODAL. Anatomical abnormalities in pulmonary vein development were also observed. Patch clamp electrophysiology confirmed the immature phenotype of the SAN cells and a residual left-sided sinus venosus myocardium pacemaker-like potential.

Conclusions

RHOA-ROCK signalling is involved in establishing the right-sided SAN as the definitive pacemaker of the heart and restricts typical pacemaker gene expression to the right side of the sinus venosus myocardium.

Postnatal Deletion of Podoplanin in Lymphatic Endothelium Results in Blood Filling of the Lymphatic System and Impairs Dendritic Cell Migration to Lymph Nodes

OBJECTIVE

The lymphatic vascular system exerts major physiological functions in the transport of interstitial fluid from peripheral tissues back to the blood circulation and in the trafficking of immune cells to lymph nodes. Previous studies in global constitutive knockout mice for the lymphatic transmembrane molecule podoplanin reported perinatal lethality and a complex phenotype with lung abnormalities, cardiac defects, lymphedema, blood-filled lymphatic vessels, and lack of lymph node organization, reflecting the importance of podoplanin expression not only by the lymphatic endothelium but also by a variety of nonendothelial cell types. Therefore, we aimed to dissect the specific role of podoplanin expressed by adult lymphatic vessels.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

We generated an inducible, lymphatic-specific podoplanin knockout mouse model (Pdpn^ΔLEC) and induced gene deletion postnatally. Pdpn^ΔLEC mice were viable, and their lymphatic vessels appeared morphologically normal with unaltered fluid drainage function. Intriguingly, Pdpn^ΔLEC mice had blood-filled lymph nodes and vessels, most frequently in the neck and axillary region, and displayed a blood-filled thoracic duct, suggestive of retrograde filling of blood from the blood circulation into the lymphatic system. Histological and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses revealed normal lymph node organization with the presence of erythrocytes within lymph node lymphatic vessels but not surrounding high endothelial venules. Moreover, fluorescein isothiocyanate painting experiments revealed reduced dendritic cell migration to lymph nodes in Pdpn^ΔLEC mice.

CONCLUSIONS

These results reveal an important role of podoplanin expressed by lymphatic vessels in preventing postnatal blood filling of the lymphatic vascular system and in contributing to efficient dendritic cell migration to the lymph nodes.

Probing early heart development to instruct stem cell differentiation strategies

Scientists have studied organs and their development for centuries and, along that path, described models and mechanisms explaining the developmental principles of organogenesis. In particular, with respect to the heart, new fundamental discoveries are reported continuously that keep changing the way we think about early cardiac development. These discoveries are driven by the need to answer long-standing questions regarding the origin of the earliest cells specified to the cardiac lineage, the differentiation potential of distinct cardiac progenitor cells, and, very importantly, the molecular mechanisms underlying these specification events. As evidenced by numerous examples, the wealth of developmental knowledge collected over the years has had an invaluable impact on establishing efficient strategies to generate cardiovascular cell types ex vivo, from either pluripotent stem cells or via direct reprogramming approaches. The ability to generate functional cardiovascular cells in an efficient and reliable manner will contribute to therapeutic strategies aimed at alleviating the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease and morbidity. Here we will discuss the recent discoveries in the field of cardiac progenitor biology and their translation to the pluripotent stem cell model to illustrate how developmental concepts have instructed regenerative model systems in the past and promise to do so in the future. Developmental Dynamics 245:1130-1144, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Direct nkx2-5 transcriptional repression of isl1 controls cardiomyocyte subtype identity

During cardiogenesis, most myocytes arise from cardiac progenitors expressing the transcription factors Isl1 and Nkx2-5. Here, we show that a direct repression of Isl1 by Nkx2-5 is necessary for proper development of the ventricular myocardial lineage. Overexpression of Nkx2-5 in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) delayed specification of cardiac progenitors and inhibited expression of Isl1 and its downstream targets in Isl1(+) precursors. Embryos deficient for Nkx2-5 in the Isl1(+) lineage failed to downregulate Isl1 protein in cardiomyocytes of the heart tube. We demonstrated that Nkx2-5 directly binds to an Isl1 enhancer and represses Isl1 transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we showed that overexpression of Isl1 does not prevent cardiac differentiation of ESCs and in Xenopus laevis embryos. Instead, it leads to enhanced specification of cardiac progenitors, earlier cardiac differentiation, and increased cardiomyocyte number. Functional and molecular characterization of Isl1-overexpressing cardiomyocytes revealed higher beating frequencies in both ESC-derived contracting areas and Xenopus Isl1-gain-of-function hearts, which associated with upregulation of nodal-specific genes and downregulation of transcripts of working myocardium. Immunocytochemistry of cardiomyocyte lineage-specific markers demonstrated a reduction of ventricular cells and an increase of cells expressing the pacemaker channel Hcn4. Finally, optical action potential imaging of single cardiomyocytes combined with pharmacological approaches proved that Isl1 overexpression in ESCs resulted in normally electrophysiologically functional cells, highly enriched in the nodal subtype at the expense of the ventricular lineage. Our findings provide an Isl1/Nkx2-5-mediated mechanism that coordinately regulates the specification of cardiac progenitors toward the different myocardial lineages and ensures proper acquisition of myocyte subtype identity.

Genetic Regulation of Sinoatrial Node Development and Pacemaker Program in the Venous Pole

The definitive sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the mammalian heart, develops from part of pro-pacemaking embryonic venous pole that expresses both Hcn4 and the transcriptional factor Shox2. It is noted that ectopic pacemaking activities originated from the myocardial sleeves of the pulmonary vein and systemic venous return, both derived from the Shox2⁺ pro-pacemaking cells in the venous pole, cause atrial fibrillation. However, the developmental link between the pacemaker properties in the embryonic venous pole cells and the SAN remains largely uncharacterized. Furthermore, the genetic program for the development of heterogeneous populations of the SAN is also under-appreciated. Here, we review the literature for a better understanding of the heterogeneous development of the SAN in relation to that of the sinus venosus myocardium and pulmonary vein myocardium. We also attempt to revisit genetic models pertinent to the development of pacemaker activities in the perspective of a Shox2-Nkx2-5 epistatic antagonism. Finally, we describe recent efforts in deciphering the regulatory networks for pacemaker development by genome-wide approaches.

Expansion and patterning of cardiovascular progenitors derived from human pluripotent stem cells

The inability of multipotent cardiovascular progenitor cells (CPCs) to undergo multiple divisions in culture has precluded stable expansion of precursors of cardiomyocytes and vascular cells. This contrasts with neural progenitors, which can be expanded robustly and are a renewable source of their derivatives. Here we use human pluripotent stem cells bearing a cardiac lineage reporter to show that regulated MYC expression enables robust expansion of CPCs with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and a hedgehog pathway agonist. The CPCs can be patterned with morphogens, recreating features of heart field assignment, and controllably differentiated to relatively pure populations of pacemaker-like or ventricular-like cardiomyocytes. The cells are clonogenic and can be expanded for >40 population doublings while retaining the ability to differentiate into cardiomyocytes and vascular cells. Access to CPCs will allow precise recreation of elements of heart development in vitro and facilitate investigation of the molecular basis of cardiac fate determination. This technology is applicable for cardiac disease modeling, toxicology studies and tissue engineering.

A common Shox2-Nkx2-5 antagonistic mechanism primes the pacemaker cell fate in the pulmonary vein myocardium and sinoatrial node

In humans, atrial fibrillation is often triggered by ectopic pacemaking activity in the myocardium sleeves of the pulmonary vein (PV) and systemic venous return. The genetic programs that abnormally reinforce pacemaker properties at these sites and how this relates to normal sinoatrial node (SAN) development remain uncharacterized. It was noted previously that Nkx2-5, which is expressed in the PV myocardium and reinforces a chamber-like myocardial identity in the PV, is lacking in the SAN. Here we present evidence that in mice Shox2 antagonizes the transcriptional output of Nkx2-5 in the PV myocardium and in a functional Nkx2-5(+) domain within the SAN to determine cell fate. Shox2 deletion in the Nkx2-5(+) domain of the SAN caused sick sinus syndrome, associated with the loss of the pacemaker program. Explanted Shox2(+) cells from the embryonic PV myocardium exhibited pacemaker characteristics including node-like electrophysiological properties and the capability to pace surrounding Shox2(-) cells. Shox2 deletion led to Hcn4 ablation in the developing PV myocardium. Nkx2-5 hypomorphism rescued the requirement for Shox2 for the expression of genes essential for SAN development in Shox2 mutants. Similarly, the pacemaker-like phenotype induced in the PV myocardium in Nkx2-5 hypomorphs reverted back to a working myocardial phenotype when Shox2 was simultaneously deleted. A similar mechanism is also adopted in differentiated embryoid bodies. We found that Shox2 interacts with Nkx2-5 directly, and discovered a substantial genome-wide co-occupancy of Shox2, Nkx2-5 and Tbx5, further supporting a pivotal role for Shox2 in the core myogenic program orchestrating venous pole and pacemaker development.

The sinus venosus myocardium contributes to the atrioventricular canal: potential role during atrioventricular node development?

The presence of distinct electrophysiological pathways within the atrioventricular node (AVN) is a prerequisite for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia to occur. In this study, the different cell contributions that may account for the anatomical and functional heterogeneity of the AVN were investigated. To study the temporal development of the AVN, the expression pattern of ISL1, expressed in cardiac progenitor cells, was studied in sequential stages performing co-staining with myocardial markers (TNNI2 and NKX2-5) and HCN4 (cardiac conduction system marker). An ISL1+/TNNI2+/HCN4+ continuity between the myocardium of the sinus venosus and atrioventricular canal was identified in the region of the putative AVN, which showed a pacemaker-like phenotype based on single cell patch-clamp experiments. Furthermore, qPCR analysis showed that even during early development, different cell populations can be identified in the region of the putative AVN. Fate mapping was performed by in ovo vital dye microinjection. Embryos were harvested and analysed 24 and 48 hrs post-injection. These experiments showed incorporation of sinus venosus myocardium in the posterior region of the atrioventricular canal. The myocardium of the sinus venosus contributes to the atrioventricular canal. It is postulated that the myocardium of the sinus venosus contributes to nodal extensions or transitional cells of the AVN since these cells are located in the posterior region of the AVN. This finding may help to understand the origin of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

New insights into the role of podoplanin in epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Podoplanin is a small mucin-like transmembrane protein expressed in several adult tissues and with an important role during embryogenesis. It is needed for the proper development of kidneys and lungs as well as accurate formation of the lymphatic vascular system. In addition, it is involved in the physiology of the immune system. A wide variety of tumors express podoplanin, both in the malignant cells and in the stroma. Although there are exceptions, the presence of podoplanin results in poor prognosis. The main consequence of forced podoplanin expression in established and tumor-derived cell lines is an increase in cell migration and, eventually, the triggering of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition, whereby cells acquire a fibroblastoid phenotype and increased motility. We will examine the current status of the role of podoplanin in the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition as well as the different interactions that lead to this program.

Pluripotent stem cell derived cardiovascular progenitors--a developmental perspective

Human pluripotent stem cells can now be routinely differentiated into cardiac cell types including contractile cardiomyocytes, enabling the study of heart development and disease in vitro, and creating opportunities for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for patients. Our grasp of the system, however, remains partial, and a significant reason for this has been our inability to effectively purify and expand the intermediate cardiovascular progenitor cells (CPCs) equivalent to those studied in heart development. Doing so could facilitate the construction of a cardiac lineage cell fate map, boosting our capacity to more finely control stem cell lineage commitment to functionally distinct cardiac identities, as well as providing a model for identifying which genes confer cardiac potential on CPCs. This review offers a perspective on CPC development as understood from model organisms and pluripotent stem cell systems, focusing on issues of identity as well as the signalling implicated in inducing, expanding and patterning these cells.

Abnormal sinoatrial node development resulting from disturbed vascular endothelial growth factor signaling

BACKGROUND

Sinus node dysfunction is frequently observed in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Variants in the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF) pathway are associated with CHD. In Vegf(120/120) mice, over-expressing VEGF120, a reduced sinoatrial node (SAN) volume was suggested. Aim of the study is to assess the effect of VEGF over-expression on SAN development and function.

METHODS

Heart rate was measured in Vegf(120/120) and wildtype (WT) embryos during high frequency ultrasound studies at embryonic day (E)12.5, 14.5 and 17.5 and by optical mapping at E12.5. Morphology was studied with several antibodies. SAN volume estimations were performed, and qualitative-PCR was used to quantify expression of genes in SAN tissues of WT and Vegf(120/120) embryos.

RESULTS

Heart rate was reduced in Vegf(120/120) compared with WT embryos during embryonic echocardiography (52 ± 17 versus 125 ± 31 beats per minute (bpm) at E12.5, p<0.001; 123 ± 37 vs 160 ± 29 bmp at E14.5, p=0.024; and 177 ± 30 vs 217 ± 34 bmp, at E17.5 p=0.017) and optical mapping (81 ± 5 vs 116 ± 8 bpm at E12.5; p=0.003). The SAN of mutant embryos was smaller and more vascularized, and showed increased expression of the fast conducting gap junction protein, Connexin43.

CONCLUSIONS

Over-expression of VEGF120 results in reduced heart rate and a smaller, less compact and hypervascularized SAN with increased expression of Connexin43. This indicates that VEGF is necessary for normal SAN development and function.

Cardiac mouse lymphatics: developmental and anatomical update

The adult mouse heart possesses an extensive lymphatic plexus draining predominantly the subepicardium and the outer layer of the myocardial wall. However, the development of this plexus has not been entirely explored, partially because of the lack of suitable methods for its visualization as well as prolonged lymphatic vessel formation that starts prenatally and proceeds during postnatal stages. Also, neither the course nor location of collecting vessels draining lymph from the mouse heart have been precisely characterized. In this article, we report that murine cardiac lymphatic plexus development that is limited prenatally only to the subepicardial area, postnatally proceeds from the subepicardium toward the myocardial wall with the base-to-apex gradient; this plexus eventually reaches the outer half of the myocardium with a predominant location around branches of coronary arteries and veins. Based on multiple marker immunostaining, the molecular marker-phenotype of cardiac lymphatic endothelial cells can be characterized as: Prox-1(+), Lyve-1(+), VEGFR3(+), Podoplanin(+), VEGFR2(+), CD144(+), Tie2(+), CD31(+), vWF(-), CD34(-), CD133(-). There are two major collecting vessels: one draining the right and left ventricles along the left conal vein and running upwards to the left side of the pulmonary trunk and further to the nearest lymph nodes (under the aortic arch and near the trachea), and the other one with its major branch running along the left cardiac vein and further on the surface of the coronary sinus and the left atrium to paratracheal lymph nodes. The extracardiac collectors gain the smooth muscle cell layer during late postnatal stages.

Embryology of the heart and its impact on understanding fetal and neonatal heart disease

Heart development is a complex process during which the heart needs to transform from a single tube towards a fully septated heart with four chambers and a separated outflow tract. Several major events contribute to this process, that largely overlap in time. Abnormal heart development results in congenital heart disease, which has an estimated incidence of 1% of liveborn children. Eighty percent of cases of congenital heart disease are considered to have a multifactoral developmental background, whereas knowledge of monogenetic causes for congenital heart disease is still limited. This review focuses on several novel findings in cardiac development that might enhance our knowledge of aetiology and support refinement of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease.

Islet1 is a direct transcriptional target of the homeodomain transcription factor Shox2 and rescues the Shox2-mediated bradycardia

The heart's rhythm is initiated and regulated by a group of specialized cells in the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart. Abnormalities in the development of the SAN can result in irregular heart rates (arrhythmias). Although several of the critical genes important for SAN formation have been identified, our understanding of the transcriptional network controlling SAN development remains at a relatively early stage. The homeodomain transcription factor Shox2 is involved in the specification and patterning of the SAN. While the Shox2 knockout in mice results in embryonic lethality due to severe cardiac defects including improper SAN development, Shox2 knockdown in zebrafish causes a reduced heart rate (bradycardia). In order to gain deeper insight into molecular pathways involving Shox2, we compared gene expression levels in right atria of wildtype and Shox2 (-/-) hearts using microarray experiments and identified the LIM homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) as one of its putative target genes. The downregulation of Isl1 expression in Shox2 (-/-) hearts was confirmed and the affected region narrowed down to the SAN by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Using luciferase reporter assays and EMSA studies, we identified two specific SHOX2 binding sites within intron 2 of the ISL1 locus. We also provide functional evidence for Isl1 as a transcriptional target of Shox2 by rescuing the Shox2-mediated bradycardia phenotype with Isl1 using zebrafish as a model system. Our findings demonstrate a novel epistatic relationship between Shox2 and Isl1 in the heart with important developmental consequences for SAN formation and heart beat.

New insights into the developmental mechanisms of coronary vessels and epicardium

During heart development, the epicardium, which originates from the proepicardial organ (PE), is a source of coronary vessels. The PE develops from the posterior visceral mesoderm of the pericardial coelom after stimulation with a combination of weak bone morphogenetic protein and strong fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. PE-derived cells migrate across the heart surface to form the epicardial sheet, which subsequently seeds multipotent subepicardial mesenchymal cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which is regulated by several signaling pathways including retinoic acid, FGF, sonic hedgehog, Wnt, transforming growth factor-β, and platelet-derived growth factor. Subepicardial endothelial progenitors eventually generate the coronary vascular plexus, which acquires an arterial or venous phenotype, connects with the sinus venosus and aortic sinuses, and then matures through the recruitment of vascular smooth muscle cells under the regulation of complex growth factor signaling pathways. These developmental programs might be activated in the adult heart after injury and play a role in the regeneration/repair of the myocardium.

Asymmetric fate of the posterior part of the second heart field results in unexpected left/right contributions to both poles of the heart

RATIONALE

The second heart field (SHF) contains progenitors of all heart chambers, excluding the left ventricle. The SHF is patterned, and the anterior region is known to be destined to form the outflow tract and right ventricle.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to map the fate of the posterior SHF (pSHF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We examined the contribution of pSHF cells, labeled by lipophilic dye at the 4- to 6-somite stage, to regions of the heart at 20 to 25 somites, using mouse embryo culture. Cells more cranial in the pSHF contribute to the atrioventricular canal (AVC) and atria, whereas those more caudal generate the sinus venosus, but there is intermixing of fate throughout the pSHF. Caudal pSHF contributes symmetrically to the sinus venosus, but the fate of cranial pSHF is left/right asymmetrical. Left pSHF moves to dorsal left atrium and superior AVC, whereas right pSHF contributes to right atrium, ventral left atrium, and inferior AVC. Retrospective clonal analysis shows the relationships between AVC and atria to be clonal and that right and left progenitors diverge before first and second heart lineage separation. Cranial pSHF cells also contribute to the outflow tract: proximal and distal at 4 somites, and distal only at 6 somites. All outflow tract-destined cells are intermingled with those that will contribute to inflow and AVC.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations show asymmetric fate of the pSHF, resulting in unexpected left/right contributions to both poles of the heart and can be integrated into a model of the morphogenetic movement of cells during cardiac looping.

Cardiac electrophysiology in mice: a matter of size

Over the last decade, mouse models have become a popular instrument for studying cardiac arrhythmias. This review assesses in which respects a mouse heart is a miniature human heart, a suitable model for studying mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias in humans and in which respects human and murine hearts differ. Section I considers the issue of scaling of mammalian cardiac (electro) physiology to body mass. Then, we summarize differences between mice and humans in cardiac activation (section II) and the currents underlying the action potential in the murine working myocardium (section III). Changes in cardiac electrophysiology in mouse models of heart disease are briefly outlined in section IV, while section V discusses technical considerations pertaining to recording cardiac electrical activity in mice. Finally, section VI offers general considerations on the influence of cardiac size on the mechanisms of tachy-arrhythmias.

Lineage tree for the venous pole of the heart: clonal analysis clarifies controversial genealogy based on genetic tracing

RATIONALE

Genetic tracing experiments and cell lineage analyses are complementary approaches that give information about the progenitor cells of a tissue. Approaches based on gene expression have led to conflicting views about the origin of the venous pole of the heart. Whereas the heart forms from 2 sources of progenitor cells, the first and second heart fields, genetic tracing has suggested a distinct origin for caval vein myocardium, from a proposed third heart field.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the cell lineage history of the myocardium at the venous pole of the heart.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used retrospective clonal analyses to investigate lineage segregation for myocardium at the venous pole of the mouse heart, independent of gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our lineage analysis unequivocally shows that caval vein and atrial myocardium share a common origin and demonstrates a clonal relationship between the pulmonary vein and progenitors of the left venous pole. Clonal characteristics give insight into the development of the veins. Unexpectedly, we found a lineage relationship between the venous pole and part of the arterial pole, which is derived exclusively from the second heart field. Integration of results from genetic tracing into the lineage tree adds a further temporal dimension to this reconstruction of the history of venous myocardium and the arterial pole.

The arterial and cardiac epicardium in development, disease and repair

The importance of the epicardium covering the heart and the intrapericardial part of the great arteries has reached a new summit. It has evolved as a major cellular component with impact both in development, disease and more recently also repair potential. The role of the epicardium in development, its differentiation from a proepicardial organ at the venous pole (vPEO) and the differentiation capacities of the vPEO initiating cardiac epicardium (cEP) into epicardium derived cells (EPDCs) have been extensively described in recent reviews on growth and transcription factor pathways. In short, the epicardium is the source of the interstitial, the annulus fibrosus and the adventitial fibroblasts, and differentiates into the coronary arterial smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, EPDCs induce growth of the compact myocardium and differentiation of the Purkinje fibers. This review includes an arterial pole located PEO (aPEO) that provides the epicardium covering the intrapericardial great vessels. In avian and mouse models disturbance of epicardial outgrowth and maturation leads to a broad spectrum of cardiac anomalies with main focus on non-compaction of the myocardium, deficient annulus fibrosis, valve malformations and coronary artery abnormalities. The discovery that in disease both arterial and cardiac epicardium can again differentiate into EPDCs and thus reactivate its embryonic program and potential has highly broadened the scope of research interest. This reactivation is seen after myocardial infarction and also in aneurysm formation of the ascending aorta. Use of EPDCs for cell therapy show their positive function in paracrine mediated repair processes which can be additive when combined with the cardiac progenitor stem cells that probably share the same embryonic origin with EPDCs. Research into the many cell-autonomous and cell-cell-based capacities of the adult epicardium will open up new realistic therapeutic avenues.

Expression of Id2 in the second heart field and cardiac defects in Id2 knock-out mice

The inhibitor of differentiation Id2 is expressed in mesoderm of the second heart field, which contributes myocardial and mesenchymal cells to the primary heart tube. The role of Id2 in cardiac development is insufficiently known. Heart development was studied in sequential developmental stages in Id2 wildtype and knockout mouse embryos. Expression patterns of Id2, MLC-2a, Nkx2.5, HCN4, and WT-1 were analyzed. Id2 is expressed in myocardial progenitor cells at the inflow and outflow tract, in the endocardial and epicardial lineage, and in neural crest cells. Id2 knockout embryos show severe cardiac defects including abnormal orientation of systemic and pulmonary drainage, abnormal myocardialization of systemic and pulmonary veins, hypoplasia of the sinoatrial node, large interatrial communications, ventricular septal defects, double outlet right ventricle, and myocardial hypoplasia. Our results indicate a role for Id2 in the second heart field contribution at both the arterial and the venous poles of the heart.

Mechanisms of cardiogenesis in cardiovascular progenitor cells

Self-renewing cells of the vertebrate heart have become a major subject of interest in the past decade. However, many researchers had a hard time to argue against the orthodox textbook view that defines the heart as a postmitotic organ. Once the scientific community agreed on the existence of self-renewing cells in the vertebrate heart, their origin was again put on trial when transdifferentiation, dedifferentiation, and reprogramming could no longer be excluded as potential sources of self-renewal in the adult organ. Additionally, the presence of self-renewing pluripotent cells in the peripheral blood challenges the concept of tissue-specific stem and progenitor cells. Leaving these unsolved problems aside, it seems very desirable to learn about the basic biology of this unique cell type. Thus, we shall here paint a picture of cardiovascular progenitor cells including the current knowledge about their origin, basic nature, and the molecular mechanisms guiding proliferation and differentiation into somatic cells of the heart.

Cell lineages, growth and repair of the mouse heart

The formation of the heart involves diversification of lineages which differentiate into distinct cardiac cell types or contribute to different regions such as the four cardiac chambers. The heart is the first organ to form in the embryo. However, in parallel with the growth of the organism, before or after birth, the heart has to adapt its size to maintain pumping efficiency. The adult heart has only a mild regeneration potential; thus, strategies to repair the heart after injury are based on the mobilisation of resident cardiac stem cells or the transplantation of external sources of stem cells. We discuss current knowledge on these aspects and raise questions for future research.

Electrophysiological mapping of embryonic mouse hearts: mechanisms for developmental pacemaker switch and internodal conduction pathway

INTRODUCTION

Understanding sinoatrial node (SAN) development could help in developing therapies for SAN dysfunction. However, electrophysiological investigation of SAN development remains difficult because mutant mice with SAN dysfunctions are frequently embryonically lethal. Most research on SAN development is therefore limited to immunocytochemical observations without comparable functional studies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We applied a multielectrode array (MEA) recording system to study SAN development in mouse hearts acutely isolated at embryonic ages (E) 8.5-12.5 days. Physiological heart rates were routinely restored, enabling accurate functional assessment of SAN development. We found that dominant pacemaking activity originated from the left inflow tract (LIFT) region at E8.5, but switched to the right SAN by E12.5. Combining MEA recordings and pharmacological agents, we show that intracellular calcium (Ca(2+))-mediated automaticity develops early and is the major mechanism of pulse generation in the LIFT of E8.5 hearts. Later in development at E12.5, sarcolemmal ion channels develop in the SAN at a time when pacemaker channels are down-regulated in the LIFT, leading to a switch in the dominant pacemaker location. Additionally, low micromolar concentrations of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a sodium channel blocker, minimally affect pacemaker rhythm at E8.5-E12.5, but suppress atrial activation and reveal a TTX-resistant SAN-atrioventricular node (internodal) pathway that mediates internodal conduction in E12.5 hearts.

CONCLUSIONS

Using a physiological mapping method, we demonstrate that differential mechanistic development of automaticity between the left and right inflow tract regions confers the pacemaker location switch. Moreover, a TTX-resistant pathway mediates preferential internodal conduction in E12.5 mouse hearts. 

Funny current channel HCN4 delineates the developing cardiac conduction system in chicken heart

BACKGROUND

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4 (HCN4) in the mouse is expressed in the developing cardiac conduction system (CCS). In the sinoatrial node (SAN), HCN4 is the predominant isoform responsible for the funny current. To date, no data are available on HCN4 expression during chicken CCS development.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to provide the full-length sequence of Hcn4 and describe its expression pattern during development in relation to the CCS in the chicken embryo.

METHODS

Hcn4 RNA expression was studied by in situ hybridization in sequential chick developmental stages (HH11-HH35) and immunohistochemical staining was conducted for the myocardial protein cardiac troponin I and the cardiac transcription factor Nkx2.5.

RESULTS

We obtained the full-length sequence of Hcn4 in chick. Hcn4 expression was observed early in development in the primary heart tube. At later stages, expression became restricted to transitional zones flanked by working myocardium, comprising the sinus venosus myocardium where the SAN develops, the atrioventricular canal myocardium, the primary fold (a myocardial zone between the developing ventricles), and the developing outflow tract. Further in development, Hcn4 expression was restricted to the SAN, the atrioventricular node, the common bundle, the bundle branches, and the internodal and atrioventricular ring myocardium.

CONCLUSION

We have identified Hcn4 as a marker of the developing CCS in the chick. The primary heart tube expresses Hcn4, which is later restricted to the transitional zones and eventually the elements of the mature CCS. Furthermore, we hypothesize that expression patterns during development may delineate potential arrhythmogenic sites in the adult heart.

Electrical activation of sinus venosus myocardium and expression patterns of RhoA and Isl-1 in the chick embryo

Electrical Activity and RhoA in the Embryo.

INTRODUCTION

Myocardium at the venous pole (sinus venosus) of the heart has gained clinical interest as arrhythmias can be initiated from this area. During development, sinus venosus myocardium is incorporated to the primary heart tube and expresses different markers than primary myocardium. We aimed to elucidate the development of sinus venosus myocardium, including the sinoatrial node (SAN), by studying expression patterns of RhoA in relation to other markers, and by studying electrical activation patterns of the developing sinus venosus myocardium.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Expression of RhoA, myocardial markers cTnI and Nkx2.5, transcription factors Isl-1 and Tbx18, and cation channel HCN4 were examined in sequential stages in chick embryos. Electrical activation patterns were studied using microelectrodes and optical mapping. Embryonic sinus venosus myocardium is cTnI and HCN4 positive, Nkx2.5 negative, complemented by distinct patterns of Isl-1 and Tbx18. During development, initial myocardium-wide expression of RhoA becomes restricted to right-sided sinus venosus myocardium, comprising the SAN. Electrophysiological measurements revealed initial capacity of both atria to show electrical activity that in time shifts to a right-sided dominance, coinciding with persistence of RhoA, Tbx18, and HCN4 and absence of Nkx2.5 expression in the definitive SAN.

CONCLUSION

Results show an initially bilateral electrical potential of sinus venosus myocardium evolving into a right-sided activation pattern during development, and suggest a role for RhoA in conduction system development. We hypothesize an initial sinus venosus-wide capacity to generate pacemaker signals, becoming confined to the definitive SAN. Lack of differentiation toward a chamber phenotype would explain ectopic pacemaker foci.

Myocardial lineage development

The myocardium of the heart is composed of multiple highly specialized myocardial lineages, including those of the ventricular and atrial myocardium, and the specialized conduction system. Specification and maturation of each of these lineages during heart development is a highly ordered, ongoing process involving multiple signaling pathways and their intersection with transcriptional regulatory networks. Here, we attempt to summarize and compare much of what we know about specification and maturation of myocardial lineages from studies in several different vertebrate model systems. To date, most research has focused on early specification, and although there is still more to learn about early specification, less is known about factors that promote subsequent maturation of myocardial lineages required to build the functioning adult heart.

Cardiac malformations in Pdgfralpha mutant embryos are associated with increased expression of WT1 and Nkx2.5 in the second heart field

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (Pdgfralpha) identifies cardiac progenitor cells in the posterior part of the second heart field. We aim to elucidate the role of Pdgfralpha in this region. Hearts of Pdgfralpha-deficient mouse embryos (E9.5-E14.5) showed cardiac malformations consisting of atrial and sinus venosus myocardium hypoplasia, including venous valves and sinoatrial node. In vivo staining for Nkx2.5 showed increased myocardial expression in Pdgfralpha mutants, confirmed by Western blot analysis. Due to hypoplasia of the primary atrial septum, mesenchymal cap, and dorsal mesenchymal protrusion, the atrioventricular septal complex failed to fuse. Impaired epicardial development and severe blebbing coincided with diminished migration of epicardium-derived cells and myocardial thinning, which could be linked to increased WT1 and altered alpha4-integrin expression. Our data provide novel insight for a possible role for Pdgfralpha in transduction pathways that lead to repression of Nkx2.5 and WT1 during development of posterior heart field-derived cardiac structures.

Expression of lymphatic markers during avian and mouse cardiogenesis

The adult heart has been reported to have an extensive lymphatic system, yet the development of this important system during cardiogenesis is still largely unexplored. The nuclear-localized transcription factor Prox-1 identified a sheet of Prox-1-positive cells on the developing aorta and pulmonary trunk in avian and murine embryos just before septation of the four heart chambers. The cells coalesced into a branching lymphatic network that spread within the epicardium to cover the heart. These vessels eventually expressed the lymphatic markers LYVE-1, VEGFR-3, and podoplanin. Before the Prox-1-positive cells were detected in the mouse epicardium, LYVE-1, a homologue of the CD44 glycoprotein, was primarily expressed in individual epicardial cells. Similar staining patterns were observed for CD44 in avian embryos. The proximity of these LYVE-1/CD44-positive mesenchymal cells to Prox-1-positive vessels suggests that they may become incorporated into the lymphatics. Unexpectedly, we detected LYVE-1/PECAM/VEGFR-3-positive vessels within the embryonic and adult myocardium, which remained Prox-1/podoplanin-negative. Lymphatic markers were surprisingly found in adult rat and embryonic mouse epicardial cell lines, with Prox-1 also exhibiting nuclear-localized expression in primary cultures of embryonic avian epicardial cells. Our data identified three types of cells in the embryonic heart expressing lymphatic markers: (1) Prox-1-positive cells from an extracardiac source that migrate within the serosa of the outflow tract into the epicardium of the developing heart, (2) individual LYVE-1-positive cells in the epicardium that may be incorporated into the Prox-1-positive lymphatic vasculature, and (3) LYVE-1-positive cells/vessels in the myocardium that do not become Prox-1-positive even in the adult heart.

Platelet-derived growth factor is involved in the differentiation of second heart field-derived cardiac structures in chicken embryos

For the establishment of a fully functional septated heart, addition of myocardium from second heart field-derived structures is important. Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are known for their role in cardiovascular development. In this study, we aim to elucidate this role of PDGF-A, PDGF-C, and their receptor PDGFR-alpha. We analyzed the expression patterns of PDGF-A, -C, and their receptor PDGFR-alpha during avian heart development. A spatiotemporal pattern of ligands was seen with colocalization of the PDGFR-alpha. This was found in second heart field-derived myocardium as well as the proepicardial organ (PEO) and epicardium. Mechanical inhibition of epicardial outgrowth as well as chemical disturbance of PDGFR-alpha support a functional role of the ligands and the receptor in cardiac development.

Specification of the cardiac conduction system by transcription factors

Diseases of the cardiovascular system that cause sudden cardiac deaths are often caused by lethal arrhythmias that originate from defects in the cardiac conduction system. Development of the cardiac conduction system is a complex biological process that can be wrought with problems. Although several genes involved in mature conduction system function have been identified, their association with development of specific subcomponents of the cardiac conduction system remains challenging. Several transcription factors, including homeodomain proteins and T-box proteins, are essential for cardiac conduction system morphogenesis and activation or repression of key regulatory genes. In addition, several transcription factors modify expression of genes encoding the ion channel proteins that contribute to the electrophysiological properties of the conduction system and govern contraction of the surrounding myocardium. Loss of transcriptional regulation during cardiac development has detrimental effects on cardiogenesis that may lead to arrhythmias. Human genetic mutations in some of these transcription factors have been identified and are known to cause congenital heart diseases that include cardiac conduction system malformations. In this review, we summarize the contributions of several key transcription factors to specification, patterning, maturation, and function of the cardiac conduction system. Further analysis of the molecular programs involved in this process should lead to improved diagnosis and therapy of conduction system disease.

Podoplanin deficient mice show a RhoA-related hypoplasia of the sinus venosus myocardium including the sinoatrial node

We investigated the role of podoplanin in development of the sinus venosus myocardium comprising the sinoatrial node, dorsal atrial wall, and primary atrial septum as well as the myocardium of the cardinal and pulmonary veins. We analyzed podoplanin wild-type and knockout mouse embryos between embryonic day 9.5-15.5 using immunohistochemical marker podoplanin; sinoatrial-node marker HCN4; myocardial markers MLC-2a, Nkx2.5, as well as Cx43; coelomic marker WT-1; and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation markers E-cadherin and RhoA. Three-dimensional reconstructions were made and myocardial morphometry was performed. Podoplanin mutants showed hypoplasia of the sinoatrial node, primary atrial septum, and dorsal atrial wall. Myocardium lining the wall of the cardinal and pulmonary veins was thin and perforated. Impaired myocardial formation is correlated with abnormal epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation of the coelomic epithelium due to up-regulated E-cadherin and down-regulated RhoA, which are controlled by podoplanin. Our results demonstrate an important role for podoplanin in development of sinus venosus myocardium.

The lim domain only protein 7 is important in zebrafish heart development

The LIM domain only protein 7 (LMO7), a member of the PDZ and LIM domain-containing protein family is a candidate gene with possible roles in embryonic development and breast cancer progression. LMO7 has been linked to actin cytoskeleton organization through nectin/afadin and to cell-cell adhesion by means of E-cadherin/catenin. In addition, LMO7 has been shown to regulate transcription of the nuclear membrane protein Emerin and other muscle relevant genes. In this study, we used in situ hybridization to investigate LMO7 expression during embryonic development in three widely used vertebrate model species: the zebrafish, the chicken and the mouse. Our temporal and spatial gene expression analysis revealed both common and distinct patterns between these species. In mouse and chicken embryos we found expression in the outflow tract, the inflow tract, the pro-epicardial organ and the second heart field, structures highly important in the developing heart. Furthermore, gene knockdown experiments in zebrafish embryos resulted in severe defects in heart development with effects on the conduction system and on heart localization. In summary, we present here the first developmental study of LMO7. We reveal the temporal and spatial expression patterns of this important gene during mouse, chicken and fish development and our findings suggest essential functions for LMO7 during vertebrate heart development.

Alpha actin isoforms expression in human and rat adult cardiac conduction system

In the adult heart, cardiac muscle comprises the working myocardium and the conduction system (CS). The latter includes the sinoatrial node (SAN), the internodal tract or bundle (IB), the atrioventricular node (AVN), the atrioventricular bundle (AVB), the bundle branches (BB) and the peripheral Purkinje fibers (PF). Most of the information concerning the phenotypic features of CS tissue derives from the characterization of avian and rodent developing hearts; data concerning the expression of actin isoforms in adult CS cardiomyocytes are scarce. Using specific antibodies, we investigated the distribution of alpha-skeletal (alpha-SKA), alpha-cardiac (alpha-CA), alpha-smooth muscle (alpha-SMA) actin isoforms and other muscle-typical proteins in the CS of human and rat hearts at different ages. SAN and IB cardiomyocytes were characterized by the presence of alpha-SMA, alpha-CA, calponin and caldesmon, whereas alpha-SKA and vimentin were absent. Double immunofluorescence demonstrated the co-localisation of alpha-SMA and alpha-CA in I-bands of SAN cardiomyocytes. AVN, AVB, BB and PF cardiomyocytes were alpha-SMA, calponin, caldesmon and vimentin negative, and alpha-CA and alpha-SKA positive. No substantial differences in actin isoform distribution were observed in human and rat hearts, except for the presence of isolated subendocardial alpha-SMA positive cardiomyocytes co-expressing alpha-CA in the ventricular septum of the rat. Aging did not influence CS cardiomyocyte actin isoform expression profile. These findings support the concept that cardiomyocytes of SAN retain the phenotype of a developing myogenic cell throughout the entire life span.

Pulmonary vein, dorsal atrial wall and atrial septum abnormalities in podoplanin knockout mice with disturbed posterior heart field contribution

The developing sinus venosus myocardium, derived from the posterior heart field, contributes to the atrial septum, the posterior atrial wall, the sino-atrial node, and myocardium lining the pulmonary and cardinal veins, all expressing podoplanin, a coelomic and myocardial marker. We compared development and differentiation of the myocardium and vascular wall of the pulmonary veins (PV), left atrial dorsal wall, and atrial septum in wild type with podoplanin knockout mouse embryos (E10.5-E18.5) by 3D reconstruction and immunohistochemistry. Expression of Nkx2.5 in the pulmonary venous myocardium changes from mosaic to positive during development pointing out a high proliferative rate compared with Nkx2.5 negative myocardium of the sino-atrial node and cardinal veins. In mutants, myocardium of the PVs, dorsal atrial wall and atrial septum was hypoplastic. The atrial septum and right-sided wall of the PV almost lacked interposed mesenchyme. Extension of smooth muscle cells into the left atrial body was diminished. We conclude that myocardium of the PVs, dorsal atrial wall, and atrial septum, as well as the smooth muscle cells, are derived from the posterior heart field regulated by podoplanin.

PDGF-B signaling is important for murine cardiac development: its role in developing atrioventricular valves, coronaries, and cardiac innervation

We hypothesized that PDGF-B/PDGFR-beta-signaling is important in the cardiac contribution of epicardium-derived cells and cardiac neural crest, cell lineages crucial for heart development. We analyzed hearts of different embryonic stages of both Pdgf-b-/- and Pdgfr-beta-/- mouse embryos for structural aberrations with an established causal relation to defective contribution of these cell lineages. Immunohistochemical staining for alphaSMA, periostin, ephrinB2, EphB4, VEGFR-2, Dll1, and NCAM was performed on wild-type and knockout embryos. We observed that knockout embryos showed perimembranous and muscular ventricular septal defects, maldevelopment of the atrioventricular cushions and valves, impaired coronary arteriogenesis, and hypoplasia of the myocardium and cardiac nerves. The abnormalities correspond with models in which epicardial development is impaired and with neuronal neural crest-related innervation deficits. This implies a role for PDGF-B/PDGFR-beta-signaling specifically in the contribution of these cell lineages to cardiac development.

Cardiac malformations and myocardial abnormalities in podoplanin knockout mouse embryos: Correlation with abnormal epicardial development

Epicardium and epicardium-derived cells have been shown to be necessary for myocardial differentiation. To elucidate the function of podoplanin in epicardial development and myocardial differentiation, we analyzed podoplanin knockout mouse embryos between embryonic day (E) 9.5 and E15.5 using immunohistochemical differentiation markers, morphometry, and three-dimensional reconstructions. Podoplanin null mice have an increased embryonic lethality, possibly of cardiac origin. Our study reveals impairment in the development of the proepicardial organ, epicardial adhesion, and spreading and migration of the epicardium-derived cells. Mutant embryos show a hypoplastic and perforated compact and septal myocardium, hypoplastic atrioventricular cushions resulting in atrioventricular valve abnormalities, as well as coronary artery abnormalities. The epicardial pathology is correlated with reduced epithelial-mesenchymal transformation caused by up-regulation of E-cadherin, normally down-regulated by podoplanin. Our results demonstrate a role for podoplanin in normal cardiac development based on epicardial-myocardial interaction. Abnormal epicardial differentiation and reduced epithelial-mesenchymal transformation result in deficient epicardium-derived cells leading to myocardial pathology and cardiac anomalies.