1
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Gilbert SF. "When does human life begin?" teaching human embryology in the context of the American abortion debate. Dev Biol 2024; 515:102-111. [PMID: 39004200 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The Dobbs decision of the United States Supreme Court and the actions of several state legislatures have made it risky, if not outright dangerous, to teach factual material concerning human embryology. At some state universities, for instance, if a professor's lecture is felt to teach or discuss abortion (as it might when teaching about tubal pregnancies, hydatidiform moles, or eneuploidy), that instructor risks imprisonment for up to 14 years (Gyori, 2023). Some states' new censorship rules have thus caused professors to drop modules on abortion from numerous science and humanities courses. In most states, instructors can still teach about human embryonic development and not risk putting their careers or livelihoods in jeopardy. However, even in many of these institutions, students can bring a professor to a disciplinary hearing by claiming that the instructor failed to provide ample trigger warnings on such issues. This essay attempts to provide some strategies wherein human embryology and the ethical issues surrounding it might be taught and students may be given resources to counter unscientific falsehoods about fertilization and human development. This essay provides evidence for teaching the following propositions. Mis-information about human biology and medicine is rampant on the internet, and there are skills that can be taught to students that will help them determine which sites should trusted. This is a skill that needs to be taught as part of science courses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott F Gilbert
- Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, 19081, USA; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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2
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Combémorel N, Cavell N, Tyser RCV. Early heart development: examining the dynamics of function-form emergence. Biochem Soc Trans 2024:BST20230546. [PMID: 38979619 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
During early embryonic development, the heart undergoes a remarkable and complex transformation, acquiring its iconic four-chamber structure whilst concomitantly contracting to maintain its essential function. The emergence of cardiac form and function involves intricate interplays between molecular, cellular, and biomechanical events, unfolding with precision in both space and time. The dynamic morphological remodelling of the developing heart renders it particularly vulnerable to congenital defects, with heart malformations being the most common type of congenital birth defect (∼35% of all congenital birth defects). This mini-review aims to give an overview of the morphogenetic processes which govern early heart formation as well as the dynamics and mechanisms of early cardiac function. Moreover, we aim to highlight some of the interplay between these two processes and discuss how recent findings and emerging techniques/models offer promising avenues for future exploration. In summary, the developing heart is an exciting model to gain fundamental insight into the dynamic relationship between form and function, which will augment our understanding of cardiac congenital defects and provide a blueprint for potential therapeutic strategies to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Combémorel
- Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, U.K
| | - Natasha Cavell
- Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, U.K
| | - Richard C V Tyser
- Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge CB2 0AW, U.K
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3
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Jensen B, Chang YH, Bamforth SD, Mohun T, Sedmera D, Bartos M, Anderson RH. The changing morphology of the ventricular walls of mouse and human with increasing gestation. J Anat 2024; 244:1040-1053. [PMID: 38284175 PMCID: PMC11095311 DOI: 10.1111/joa.14017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
That the highly trabeculated ventricular walls of the developing embryos transform to the arrangement during the fetal stages, when the mural architecture is dominated by the thickness of the compact myocardium, has been explained by the coalescence of trabeculations, often erroneously described as 'compaction'. Recent data, however, support differential rates of growth of the trabecular and compact layers as the major driver of change. Here, these processes were assessed quantitatively and visualized in standardized views. We used a larger dataset than has previously been available of mouse hearts, covering the period from embryonic day 10.5 to postnatal day 3, supported by images from human hearts. The volume of the trabecular layer increased throughout development, in contrast to what would be expected had there been 'compaction'. During the transition from embryonic to fetal life, the rapid growth of the compact layer diminished the proportion of trabeculations. Similarly, great expansion of the central cavity reduced the proportion of the total cavity made up of intertrabecular recesses. Illustrations of the hearts with the median value of left ventricular trabeculation confirm a pronounced growth of the compact wall, with prominence of the central cavity. This corresponds, in morphological terms, to a reduction in the extent of the trabecular layer. Similar observations were made in the human hearts. We conclude that it is a period of comparatively slow growth of the trabecular layer, rather than so-called compaction, that is the major determinant of the changing morphology of the ventricular walls of both mouse and human hearts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjarke Jensen
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular SciencesUniversity of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Yun Hee Chang
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular SciencesUniversity of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Simon D. Bamforth
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastleUK
| | | | - David Sedmera
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Martin Bartos
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
- Institute of Dental Medicine, First Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Robert H. Anderson
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastleUK
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4
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Noël ES. Cardiac construction-Recent advances in morphological and transcriptional modeling of early heart development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 156:121-156. [PMID: 38556421 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
During human embryonic development the early establishment of a functional heart is vital to support the growing fetus. However, forming the embryonic heart is an extremely complex process, requiring spatiotemporally controlled cell specification and differentiation, tissue organization, and coordination of cardiac function. These complexities, in concert with the early and rapid development of the embryonic heart, mean that understanding the intricate interplay between these processes that help shape the early heart remains highly challenging. In this review I focus on recent insights from animal models that have shed new light on the earliest stages of heart development. This includes specification and organization of cardiac progenitors, cell and tissue movements that make and shape the early heart tube, and the initiation of the first beat in the developing heart. In addition I highlight relevant in vitro models that could support translation of findings from animal models to human heart development. Finally I discuss challenges that are being addressed in the field, along with future considerations that together may help move us towards a deeper understanding of how our hearts are made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Noël
- School of Biosciences and Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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5
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Schmidt C, Deyett A, Ilmer T, Haendeler S, Torres Caballero A, Novatchkova M, Netzer MA, Ceci Ginistrelli L, Mancheno Juncosa E, Bhattacharya T, Mujadzic A, Pimpale L, Jahnel SM, Cirigliano M, Reumann D, Tavernini K, Papai N, Hering S, Hofbauer P, Mendjan S. Multi-chamber cardioids unravel human heart development and cardiac defects. Cell 2023; 186:5587-5605.e27. [PMID: 38029745 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The number one cause of human fetal death are defects in heart development. Because the human embryonic heart is inaccessible and the impacts of mutations, drugs, and environmental factors on the specialized functions of different heart compartments are not captured by in vitro models, determining the underlying causes is difficult. Here, we established a human cardioid platform that recapitulates the development of all major embryonic heart compartments, including right and left ventricles, atria, outflow tract, and atrioventricular canal. By leveraging 2D and 3D differentiation, we efficiently generated progenitor subsets with distinct first, anterior, and posterior second heart field identities. This advance enabled the reproducible generation of cardioids with compartment-specific in vivo-like gene expression profiles, morphologies, and functions. We used this platform to unravel the ontogeny of signal and contraction propagation between interacting heart chambers and dissect how mutations, teratogens, and drugs cause compartment-specific defects in the developing human heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Schmidt
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alison Deyett
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tobias Ilmer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; FH Campus Wien, Favoritenstraße 226, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Haendeler
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Aranxa Torres Caballero
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Novatchkova
- Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael A Netzer
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lavinia Ceci Ginistrelli
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Estela Mancheno Juncosa
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tanishta Bhattacharya
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Amra Mujadzic
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lokesh Pimpale
- HeartBeat.bio AG, Dr. Bohr Gasse 7, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan M Jahnel
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martina Cirigliano
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Reumann
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katherina Tavernini
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nora Papai
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna, and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steffen Hering
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Pablo Hofbauer
- HeartBeat.bio AG, Dr. Bohr Gasse 7, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sasha Mendjan
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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6
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Danielsson B, Vargesson N, Danielsson C. Teratogenicity and Reactive Oxygen Species after transient embryonic hypoxia: Experimental and clinical evidence with focus on drugs causing failed abortion in humans. Reprod Toxicol 2023; 122:108488. [PMID: 37852333 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Teratogenicity and Reactive Oxygen Species after transient embryonic hypoxia: Experimental and clinical evidence with focus on drugs with human abortive potential. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) can be harmful to embryonic tissues. The adverse embryonic effects are dependent on the severity and duration of the hypoxic event and when during organongenesis hypoxia occurs. The vascular endothelium of recently formed arteries in the embryo is highly susceptible to ROS damage. Endothelial damage results in vascular disruption, hemorrhage and maldevelopment of organs, which normally should have been supplied by the artery. ROS can also induce irregular heart rhythm in the embryo resulting in alterations in blood flow and pressure from when the tubular heart starts beating. Such alterations in blood flow and pressure during cardiogenesis can result in a variety of cardiovascular defects, for example transpositions and ventricular septal defects. One aim of this article is to review and compare the pattern of malformations produced by transient embryonic hypoxia of various origins in animal studies with malformations associated with transient embryonic hypoxia in human pregnancy due to a failed abortion process. The results show that transient hypoxia and compounds with potential to cause failed abortion in humans, such as misoprostol and hormone pregnancy tests (HPTs) like Primodos, have been associated with a similar spectrum of teratogenicity. The spectrum includes limb reduction-, cardiovascular- and central nervous system defects. The hypoxia-ROS related teratogenicity of misoprostol and HPTs, is likely to be secondary to uterine contractions and compression of uterinoplacental/embryonic vessels during organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bengt Danielsson
- BeDa Consulting AB, Upplandsgatan 6, SE-111 23 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Neil Vargesson
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Christian Danielsson
- Department of Patient Safety, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, SE-106 30 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Bloomekatz J, Chi NC. Coordinating the first heartbeat. Nature 2023; 622:37-39. [PMID: 37759109 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-02938-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
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8
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Tyser RCV. Formation of the Heart: Defining Cardiomyocyte Progenitors at Single-Cell Resolution. Curr Cardiol Rep 2023; 25:495-503. [PMID: 37119451 PMCID: PMC10188409 DOI: 10.1007/s11886-023-01880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Formation of the heart requires the coordinated addition of multiple progenitor sources which have undergone different pathways of specification and differentiation. In this review, I aim to put into context how recent studies defining cardiac progenitor heterogeneity build on our understanding of early heart development and also discuss the questions raised by this new insight. RECENT FINDINGS With the development of sequencing technologies and imaging approaches, it has been possible to define, at high temporal resolution, the molecular profile and anatomical location of cardiac progenitors at the single-cell level, during the formation of the mammalian heart. Given the recent progress in our understanding of early heart development and technical advances in high-resolution time-lapse imaging and lineage analysis, we are now in a position of great potential, allowing us to resolve heart formation at previously impossible levels of detail. Understanding how this essential organ forms not only addresses questions of fundamental biological significance but also provides a blueprint for strategies to both treat and model heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C V Tyser
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0AW, UK.
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9
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When Does the Human Embryonic Heart Start Beating? A Review of Contemporary and Historical Sources of Knowledge about the Onset of Blood Circulation in Man. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:jcdd9060187. [PMID: 35735816 PMCID: PMC9225347 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9060187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of embryonic heart beating may be regarded as the defining feature for the beginning of personal human life. Clarifying the timing of the first human heartbeat, therefore, has religious, philosophical, ethical, and medicolegal implications. This article reviews the historical and contemporary sources of knowledge on the beginning of human heart activity. Special attention is given to the problem of the determination of the true age of human embryos and to the problem of visualization of the human embryonic heart activity. It is shown that historical and current textbook statements about the onset of blood circulation in man do not derive from observations on living human embryos but derive from the extrapolation of observations on animal embryos to the human species. This fact does not preclude the existence of documented observations on human embryonic heart activity: Modern diagnostic (ultrasound) and therapeutic (IVF) procedures facilitate the visualization of early embryonic heart activity in precisely dated pregnancies. Such studies showed that the human heart started its pumping action during the fourth post-fertilization week. A small number of direct observations on the heart activity of aborted human embryos were reported since the 19th century, but did not receive much recognition by embryologists.
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10
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McAndry C, Collins M, Tills O, Spicer JI, Truebano M. Regulation of gene expression during ontogeny of physiological function in the brackishwater amphipod Gammarus chevreuxi. Mar Genomics 2022; 63:100948. [PMID: 35427917 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2022.100948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic development is a complex process involving the co-ordinated onset and integration of multiple morphological features and physiological functions. While the molecular basis of morphological development in embryos is relatively well known for traditional model species, the molecular underpinning of the development of physiological functions is not. Here, we used global gene expression profiling to investigate the transcriptional changes associated with the development of morphological and physiological function in the amphipod crustacean Gammarus chevreuxi. We compared the transcriptomes at three timepoints during the latter half of development, characterised by different stages of the development of heart form and function: 10 days post fertilisation (dpf, Early: no heart structure visible), 15 dpf (Middle: heart present but not fully functional), and 18 dpf (Late: regular heartbeat). Gene expression profiles differed markedly between developmental stages, likely representing a change in the activity of different processes throughout the latter period of G. chevreuxi embryonic development. Differentially expressed genes belonged to one of three distinct clusters based on their expression patterns across development. One of these clusters, which included key genes relating to cardiac contractile machinery and calcium handling, displayed a pattern of sequential up-regulation throughout the developmental period studied. Further analyses of these transcripts could reveal genes that may influence the onset of a regular heartbeat. We also identified morphological and physiological processes that may occur alongside heart development, such as development of digestive caeca and the cuticle. Elucidating the mechanisms underpinning morphological and physiological development of non-model organisms will support improved understanding of conserved mechanisms, addressing the current phylogenetic gap between relatively well known model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- C McAndry
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - M Collins
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - O Tills
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - J I Spicer
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - M Truebano
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
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11
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María Teresa S, Romina G, Lucila Marilén C, Fernanda A, Rafael Carlos L, Paola Mariela P. Anuran heart development and critical developmental periods: a comparative analysis of three Neotropical anuran species. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:3441-3455. [PMID: 35412699 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The heart begins to form early during vertebrate development and is the first functional organ of the embryo. This study aimed to describe and compare the heart development in three Neotropical anuran species, Physalaemus albonotatus, Elachistocleis bicolor, and Scinax nasicus. Different Gosner Stages (GS) of embryos (GS 18-20) and premetamorphic (GS 21-25), prometamorphic (GS 26-41) and metamorphic (GS 42-46) tadpoles were analyzed using stereoscopic microscopy and Scanning Electronic Microscopy. Heart development was similar in the three analyzed species; however, some heterochronic events were identified between P. albonotatus and S. nasicus compared to E. bicolor. In addition, different patterns of melanophores arrangement were observed. During the embryonic and metamorphic periods, the main morphogenetic events occur: formation of the heart tube, regionalization of the heart compartments, development of spiral valve, onset of heartbeat, looping, and final displacement of the atrium and its complete septation. Both periods are critical for the normal morphogenesis and the correct functioning of the anuran heart. These results are useful to characterize the normal anuran heart morphology and to identify possible abnormalities caused by exposure to environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandoval María Teresa
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura. Embriología Animal, Av. Libertad 5470 (3400)., Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Gaona Romina
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura. Embriología Animal, Av. Libertad 5470 (3400)., Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Curi Lucila Marilén
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Ictiología del Nordeste (INICNE), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (FCV, UNNE), Sargento Cabral 2139, (3400) Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Abreliano Fernanda
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura. Embriología Animal, Av. Libertad 5470 (3400)., Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Lajmanovich Rafael Carlos
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (FBCB-UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Peltzer Paola Mariela
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (FBCB-UNL), Santa Fe, Argentina
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12
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Peterson JC, Kelder TP, Goumans MJTH, Jongbloed MRM, DeRuiter MC. The Role of Cell Tracing and Fate Mapping Experiments in Cardiac Outflow Tract Development, New Opportunities through Emerging Technologies. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:47. [PMID: 33925811 PMCID: PMC8146276 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8050047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Whilst knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of congenital heart disease (CHDs) has advanced greatly in recent years, the underlying developmental processes affecting the cardiac outflow tract (OFT) such as bicuspid aortic valve, tetralogy of Fallot and transposition of the great arteries remain poorly understood. Common among CHDs affecting the OFT, is a large variation in disease phenotypes. Even though the different cell lineages contributing to OFT development have been studied for many decades, it remains challenging to relate cell lineage dynamics to the morphologic variation observed in OFT pathologies. We postulate that the variation observed in cellular contribution in these congenital heart diseases might be related to underlying cell lineage dynamics of which little is known. We believe this gap in knowledge is mainly the result of technical limitations in experimental methods used for cell lineage analysis. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of historical fate mapping and cell tracing techniques used to study OFT development and introduce emerging technologies which provide new opportunities that will aid our understanding of the cellular dynamics underlying OFT pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C. Peterson
- Department Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.C.P.); (T.P.K.); (M.R.M.J.)
| | - Tim P. Kelder
- Department Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.C.P.); (T.P.K.); (M.R.M.J.)
| | - Marie José T. H. Goumans
- Department Cellular and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Monique R. M. Jongbloed
- Department Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.C.P.); (T.P.K.); (M.R.M.J.)
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marco C. DeRuiter
- Department Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (J.C.P.); (T.P.K.); (M.R.M.J.)
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13
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Tyser RCV, Ibarra-Soria X, McDole K, Arcot Jayaram S, Godwin J, van den Brand TAH, Miranda AMA, Scialdone A, Keller PJ, Marioni JC, Srinivas S. Characterization of a common progenitor pool of the epicardium and myocardium. Science 2021; 371:eabb2986. [PMID: 33414188 PMCID: PMC7615359 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb2986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian heart is derived from multiple cell lineages; however, our understanding of when and how the diverse cardiac cell types arise is limited. We mapped the origin of the embryonic mouse heart at single-cell resolution using a combination of transcriptomic, imaging, and genetic lineage labeling approaches. This mapping provided a transcriptional and anatomic definition of cardiac progenitor types. Furthermore, it revealed a cardiac progenitor pool that is anatomically and transcriptionally distinct from currently known cardiac progenitors. Besides contributing to cardiomyocytes, these cells also represent the earliest progenitor of the epicardium, a source of trophic factors and cells during cardiac development and injury. This study provides detailed insights into the formation of early cardiac cell types, with particular relevance to the development of cell-based cardiac regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C V Tyser
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Ximena Ibarra-Soria
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Katie McDole
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Satish Arcot Jayaram
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Jonathan Godwin
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Teun A H van den Brand
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Antonio M A Miranda
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Antonio Scialdone
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-81377 München, Germany
- Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Philipp J Keller
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - John C Marioni
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK.
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14
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Christoffels V, Jensen B. Cardiac Morphogenesis: Specification of the Four-Chambered Heart. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2020; 12:cshperspect.a037143. [PMID: 31932321 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Early heart morphogenesis involves a process in which embryonic precursor cells are instructed to form a cyclic contracting muscle tube connected to blood vessels, pumping fluid. Subsequently, the heart becomes structurally complex and its size increases several orders of magnitude to functionally keep up with the demands of the growing organism. Programmed transcriptional regulatory networks control the early steps of cardiac development. However, already during the early stages of its assembly, the heart tube starts to produce electrochemical potentials, contractions, and flow, which are transduced into signals that feed back into the process of morphogenesis itself. Heart morphogenesis, thus, involves the interplay between progressively changing genetic networks, function, and shape. Morphogenesis is evolutionarily conserved, but species-specific differences occur and in mouse, for instance, distinct phases of development become overlapping and compounded in an extremely fast gestation. Here, we review the early morphogenesis of the chambered heart that maintains a circulation supporting development of an organism rapidly growing in size and requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Bjarke Jensen
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands
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