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Acharya B, Dey S, Sahu PK, Behera A, Chowdhury B, Behera S. Perspectives on chick embryo models in developmental and reproductive toxicity screening. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 126:108583. [PMID: 38561097 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108583] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Teratology, the study of congenital anomalies and their causative factors intersects with developmental and reproductive toxicology, employing innovative methodologies. Evaluating the potential impacts of teratogens on fetal development and assessing human risk is an essential prerequisite in preclinical research. The chicken embryo model has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding human embryonic development due to its remarkable resemblance to humans. This model offers a unique platform for investigating the effects of substances on developing embryos, employing techniques such as ex ovo and in ovo assays, chorioallantoic membrane assays, and embryonic culture techniques. The advantages of chicken embryonic models include their accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and biological relevance to vertebrate development, enabling efficient screening of developmental toxicity. However, these models have limitations, such as the absence of a placenta and maternal metabolism, impacting the study of nutrient exchange and hormone regulation. Despite these limitations, understanding and mitigating the challenges posed by the absence of a placenta and maternal metabolism are critical for maximizing the utility of the chick embryo model in developmental toxicity testing. Indeed, the insights gained from utilizing these assays and their constraints can significantly contribute to our understanding of the developmental impacts of various agents. This review underscores the utilization of chicken embryonic models in developmental toxicity testing, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages by addressing the challenges posed by their physiological differences from mammalian systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajeet Acharya
- School of Pharmacy, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sandip Dey
- Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Prafulla Kumar Sahu
- School of Pharmacy, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
| | - Amulyaratna Behera
- School of Pharmacy, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
| | - Bimalendu Chowdhury
- Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khodasingi, Brahmapur, Odisha, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Suchismeeta Behera
- Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khodasingi, Brahmapur, Odisha, India; State Forensic Laboratory, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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2
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Stiefbold M, Zhang H, Wan LQ. Engineered platforms for mimicking cardiac development and drug screening. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:197. [PMID: 38664263 PMCID: PMC11045633 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05231-1] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects are associated with significant health challenges, demanding a deep understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms and, thus, better devices or platforms that can recapitulate human cardiac development. The discovery of human pluripotent stem cells has substantially reduced the dependence on animal models. Recent advances in stem cell biology, genetic editing, omics, microfluidics, and sensor technologies have further enabled remarkable progress in the development of in vitro platforms with increased fidelity and efficiency. In this review, we provide an overview of advancements in in vitro cardiac development platforms, with a particular focus on technological innovation. We categorize these platforms into four areas: two-dimensional solid substrate cultures, engineered substrate architectures that enhance cellular functions, cardiac organoids, and embryos/explants-on-chip models. We conclude by addressing current limitations and presenting future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Stiefbold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biotech 2147, 110 8t Street, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Haokang Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biotech 2147, 110 8t Street, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
| | - Leo Q Wan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Biotech 2147, 110 8t Street, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
- Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
- Center for Modeling, Simulation, and Imaging in Medicine, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
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3
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Lu Y, Chen QM, An L. SPADE: spatial deconvolution for domain specific cell-type estimation. Commun Biol 2024; 7:469. [PMID: 38632414 PMCID: PMC11024133 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06172-y] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding gene expression in different cell types within their spatial context is a key goal in genomics research. SPADE (SPAtial DEconvolution), our proposed method, addresses this by integrating spatial patterns into the analysis of cell type composition. This approach uses a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and histological data to accurately estimate the proportions of cell types in various locations. Our analyses of synthetic data have demonstrated SPADE's capability to discern cell type-specific spatial patterns effectively. When applied to real-life datasets, SPADE provides insights into cellular dynamics and the composition of tumor tissues. This enhances our comprehension of complex biological systems and aids in exploring cellular diversity. SPADE represents a significant advancement in deciphering spatial gene expression patterns, offering a powerful tool for the detailed investigation of cell types in spatial transcriptomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Lu
- Interdisciplinary Program in Statistics and Data Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Qin M Chen
- College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Lingling An
- Interdisciplinary Program in Statistics and Data Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
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4
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Chi C, Roland TJ, Song K. Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling: Learning from Heart Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:337. [PMID: 38543122 PMCID: PMC10975450 DOI: 10.3390/ph17030337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Heart disease is a pressing public health problem and the leading cause of death worldwide. The heart is the first organ to gain function during embryogenesis in mammals. Heart development involves cell determination, expansion, migration, and crosstalk, which are orchestrated by numerous signaling pathways, such as the Wnt, TGF-β, IGF, and Retinoic acid signaling pathways. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-based platforms are emerging as promising approaches for modeling heart disease in vitro. Understanding the signaling pathways that are essential for cardiac development has shed light on the molecular mechanisms of congenital heart defects and postnatal heart diseases, significantly advancing stem cell-based platforms to model heart diseases. This review summarizes signaling pathways that are crucial for heart development and discusses how these findings improve the strategies for modeling human heart disease in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congwu Chi
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Truman J. Roland
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
| | - Kunhua Song
- Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA; (C.C.); (T.J.R.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
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Matias FR, Groves I, Durrans J, Herigstad M. Carbon monoxide affects early cardiac development in an avian model. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2330. [PMID: 38488476 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2330] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that can be lethal in large doses and may also cause physiological damage in lower doses. Epidemiological studies suggest that CO in lower doses over time may impact on embryo development, in particular cardiac development, however other studies have not observed this association. METHODS Here, we exposed chick embryos in ovo to CO at three different concentrations (3, 9, 18 ppm) plus air control (4 protocols in total) for the first 9 days of development, at which point we assessed egg and embryo weight, ankle length, developmental stage, heart weight, ventricular wall thickness, ventricular-septal thickness and atrial wall thickness. RESULTS We found that heart weight was reduced for the low and moderate exposures compared to air, that atrial wall and ventricular wall thickness was increased for the moderate and high exposures compared to air and that ventricular septal thickness was increased for low, moderate and high exposures compared to air. Ventricular wall thickness was also significantly positively correlated with absolute CO exposures across all protocols. CONCLUSIONS This intervention study thus suggests that CO even at very low levels may have a significant impact on cardiac development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Rombo Matias
- Lisbon School of Health Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ian Groves
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Joshua Durrans
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mari Herigstad
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
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6
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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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7
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Junatas KL, Couck L, Tay H, Sinowatz F, Van Den Broeck W. Ultrastructural evidence of telocytes in the embryonic chick heart. Anat Histol Embryol 2024; 53:e12970. [PMID: 37740674 DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12970] [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: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
The cardiac telocyte (TC) is a novel interstitial cell type with a unique ultrastructure and great potential in therapy. The present study examined its presence in the heart of chicken embryos ageing 7-15 days old (Hamburger-Hamilton [HH] stages 31-41) using transmission electron microscopy. TCs were identified across all stages in the atrial and ventricular myocardium, close to maturing cardiomyocytes, blood vessels and lymphatics. Early-stage TCs have immature features resembling mesenchymal cells. Late-stage TCs were distinct, possessing the cytoplasmic prolongations termed telopodes (Tps), which are very long and thin, usually 1-3 in number, and display a moniliform appearance and have an average thickness below 0.2 μm. TCs residing in the epicardium and endocardium were also detected. In the subepicardium near developing coronary vessels, they were localized in the cardiac stem cell niches, coexisting with cardiac stem cells and cardiomyocyte progenitors. Electron-dense structures and the release of extracellular vesicles were observed between embryonic TCs and surrounding structures, suggesting roles in intercellular communication, cardiomyocyte differentiation and maturation, angiogenesis, and stem cell nursing and guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khan Lamanero Junatas
- Department of Morphology, Medical Imaging, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Nutrition - Laboratory of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Southern Mindanao, Cotabato, Philippines
| | - Liesbeth Couck
- Department of Morphology, Medical Imaging, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Nutrition - Laboratory of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hanna Tay
- Department of Morphology, Medical Imaging, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Nutrition - Laboratory of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Fred Sinowatz
- Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Wim Van Den Broeck
- Department of Morphology, Medical Imaging, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy and Nutrition - Laboratory of Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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8
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Hegemann N, Bintig W, Perret PL, Rees J, Viperino A, Eickholt B, Kuebler WM, Höpfner M, Nitzsche B, Grune J. In-ovo echocardiography for application in cardiovascular research. Basic Res Cardiol 2023; 118:19. [PMID: 37193927 PMCID: PMC10188421 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-023-00989-0] [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] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical cardiovascular research relies heavily on non-invasive in-vivo echocardiography in mice and rats to assess cardiac function and morphology, since the complex interaction of heart, circulation, and peripheral organs are challenging to mimic ex-vivo. While n-numbers of annually used laboratory animals worldwide approach 200 million, increasing efforts are made by basic scientists aiming to reduce animal numbers in cardiovascular research according to the 3R's principle. The chicken egg is well-established as a physiological correlate and model for angiogenesis research but has barely been used to assess cardiac (patho-) physiology. Here, we tested whether the established in-ovo system of incubated chicken eggs interfaced with commercially available small animal echocardiography would be a suitable alternative test system in experimental cardiology. To this end, we defined a workflow to assess cardiac function in 8-13-day-old chicken embryos using a commercially available high resolution ultrasound system for small animals (Vevo 3100, Fujifilm Visualsonics Inc.) equipped with a high frequency probe (MX700; centre transmit: 50 MHz). We provide detailed standard operating procedures for sample preparation, image acquisition, data analysis, reference values for left and right ventricular function and dimensions, and inter-observer variabilities. Finally, we challenged incubated chicken eggs with two interventions well-known to affect cardiac physiology-metoprolol treatment and hypoxic exposure-to demonstrate the sensitivity of in-ovo echocardiography. In conclusion, in-ovo echocardiography is a feasible alternative tool for basic cardiovascular research, which can easily be implemented into the small animal research environment using existing infrastructure to replace mice and rat experiments, and thus, reduce use of laboratory animals according to the 3R principle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hegemann
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Der Charité (DHZC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Willem Bintig
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul-Lennard Perret
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Rees
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandra Viperino
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Britta Eickholt
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang M Kuebler
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Höpfner
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bianca Nitzsche
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Grune
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Der Charité (DHZC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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Lu Y, Chen Q, An L. SPADE: Spatial Deconvolution for Domain Specific Cell-type Estimation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.14.536924. [PMID: 37131788 PMCID: PMC10153127 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.14.536924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The advent of spatial transcriptomics technology has allowed for the acquisition of gene expression profiles with multi-cellular resolution in a spatially resolved manner, presenting a new milestone in the field of genomics. However, the aggregate gene expression from heterogeneous cell types obtained by these technologies poses a significant challenge for a comprehensive delineation of cell type-specific spatial patterns. Here, we propose SPADE (SPAtial DEconvolution), an in-silico method designed to address this challenge by incorporating spatial patterns during cell type decomposition. SPADE utilizes a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing data, spatial location information, and histological information to computationally estimate the proportion of cell types present at each spatial location. In our study, we showcased the effectiveness of SPADE by conducting analyses on synthetic data. Our results indicated that SPADE was able to successfully identify cell type-specific spatial patterns that were not previously identified by existing deconvolution methods. Furthermore, we applied SPADE to a real-world dataset analyzing the developmental chicken heart, where we observed that SPADE was able to accurately capture the intricate processes of cellular differentiation and morphogenesis within the heart. Specifically, we were able to reliably estimate changes in cell type compositions over time, which is a critical aspect of understanding the underlying mechanisms of complex biological systems. These findings underscore the potential of SPADE as a valuable tool for analyzing complex biological systems and shedding light on their underlying mechanisms. Taken together, our results suggest that SPADE represents a significant advancement in the field of spatial transcriptomics, providing a powerful tool for characterizing complex spatial gene expression patterns in heterogeneous tissues.
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10
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Yahya I, Brand-Saberi B, Morosan-Puopolo G. Chicken embryo as a model in second heart field development. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14230. [PMID: 36923876 PMCID: PMC10009738 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14230] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, a single source of progenitor cells was thought to be responsible for the formation of the cardiac muscle. However, the second heart field has recently been identified as an additional source of myocardial progenitor cells. The chicken embryo, which develops in the egg, outside the mother can easily be manipulated in vivo and in vitro. Hence, it was an excellent model for establishing the concept of the second heart field. Here, our review will focus on the chicken model, specifically its role in understanding the second heart field. In addition to discussing historical aspects, we provide an overview of recent findings that have helped to define the chicken second heart field progenitor cells. A better understanding of the second heart field development will provide important insights into the congenital malformations affecting cardiac muscle formation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imadeldin Yahya
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, 11115, Sudan
- Corresponding author. Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
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Human Heart Morphogenesis: A New Vision Based on In Vivo Labeling and Cell Tracking. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:life13010165. [PMID: 36676114 PMCID: PMC9861877 DOI: 10.3390/life13010165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the extensive information available on the different genetic, epigenetic, and molecular features of cardiogenesis, the origin of congenital heart defects remains unknown. Most genetic and molecular studies have been conducted outside the context of the progressive anatomical and histological changes in the embryonic heart, which is one of the reasons for the limited knowledge of the origins of congenital heart diseases. We integrated the findings of descriptive studies on human embryos and experimental studies on chick, rat, and mouse embryos. This research is based on the new dynamic concept of heart development and the existence of two heart fields. The first field corresponds to the straight heart tube, into which splanchnic mesodermal cells from the second heart field are gradually recruited. The overall aim was to create a new vision for the analysis, diagnosis, and regionalized classification of congenital defects of the heart and great arteries. In addition to highlighting the importance of genetic factors in the development of congenital heart disease, this study provides new insights into the composition of the straight heart tube, the processes of twisting and folding, and the fate of the conus in the development of the right ventricle and its outflow tract. The new vision, based on in vivo labeling and cell tracking and enhanced by models such as gastruloids and organoids, has contributed to a better understanding of important errors in cardiac morphogenesis, which may lead to several congenital heart diseases.
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12
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Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane: a biomaterial testing platform for tissue engineering applications. Process Biochem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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13
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Wang M, Zhang P, Li Z, Yan Y, Cheng X, Wang G, Yang X. Different cellular mechanisms from low- and high-dose zinc oxide nanoparticles-induced heart tube malformation during embryogenesis. Nanotoxicology 2022; 16:580-596. [PMID: 36137004 DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2022.2124130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
With the wide application of nanometer materials in daily life, people pay more attention to the potential toxicity of nanoparticles to human fetal development once the nanoparticles are absorbed into the human body during pregnancy. However, there was no directly solid evidence for ZnO NPs-caused congenital heart defects. Hence, we investigated the effect of ZnO NPs exposure on early cardiogenesis using the chicken/mouse embryo models. First, we showed ZnO NPs reduced H9c2 cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner, while cell autophagy was significantly activated too on the same pattern. During early cardiogenesis, ZnO NPs exposure increased the chance of heart tube malformation, while precardiac cell apoptosis rises in the phenotype of closure defect and Bifida. The hypertrophy was also observed in late-stage chicken/mouse survival embryos exposed to ZnO NPs. Apart from cell apoptosis, high-dose ZnO NPs exposure led to massive programmed necrosis, and further experiments verified that ferroptosis remained primarily in ZnO NPs-induced programmed necrosis. We also revealed that the toxicology of low-dose ZnO NPs was mainly featured in the changes of expressions of key genes instead of causing precardiac cell death. MYL2 and CSRP3 could work as the downstream molecules of the above key genes in the context of ZnO NPs exposure to early cardiogenesis based on RNA sequencing. Taken together, this study for the first time revealed the potential risk of heart tube malformation induced by ZnO NPs exposure through different cellular mechanisms, which depended on low- or high-dose ZnO NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwei Wang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zeyu Li
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Yan
- School of Nursing, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guang Wang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuesong Yang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,International Joint Laboratory for Embryonic Development & Prenatal Medicine, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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14
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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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15
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Ebrahimi N, Bradley C, Hunter P. An integrative multiscale view of early cardiac looping. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1535. [PMID: 35023324 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1535] [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: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The heart is the first organ to form and function during the development of an embryo. Heart development consists of a series of events believed to be highly conserved in vertebrates. Development of heart begins with the formation of the cardiac fields followed by a linear heart tube formation. The straight heart tube then undergoes a ventral bending prior to further bending and helical torsion to form a looped heart. The looping phase is then followed by ballooning, septation, and valve formation giving rise to a four-chambered heart in avians and mammals. The looping phase plays a central role in heart development. Successful looping is essential for proper alignment of the future cardiac chambers and tracts. As aberrant looping results in various congenital heart diseases, the mechanisms of cardiac looping have been studied for several decades by various disciplines. Many groups have studied anatomy, biology, genetics, and mechanical processes during heart looping, and have proposed multiple mechanisms. Computational modeling approaches have been utilized to examine the proposed mechanisms of the looping process. Still, the exact underlying mechanism(s) controlling the looping phase remain poorly understood. Although further experimental measurements are obviously still required, the need for more integrative computational modeling approaches is also apparent in order to make sense of the vast amount of experimental data and the complexity of multiscale developmental systems. Indeed, there needs to be an iterative interaction between experimentation and modeling in order to properly find the gap in the existing data and to validate proposed hypotheses. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Cardiovascular Diseases > Computational Models Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Ebrahimi
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Christopher Bradley
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter Hunter
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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16
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The zebrafish grime mutant uncovers an evolutionarily conserved role for Tmem161b in the control of cardiac rhythm. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2018220118. [PMID: 33597309 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2018220118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The establishment of cardiac function in the developing embryo is essential to ensure blood flow and, therefore, growth and survival of the animal. The molecular mechanisms controlling normal cardiac rhythm remain to be fully elucidated. From a forward genetic screen, we identified a unique mutant, grime, that displayed a specific cardiac arrhythmia phenotype. We show that loss-of-function mutations in tmem161b are responsible for the phenotype, identifying Tmem161b as a regulator of cardiac rhythm in zebrafish. To examine the evolutionary conservation of this function, we generated knockout mice for Tmem161b. Tmem161b knockout mice are neonatal lethal and cardiomyocytes exhibit arrhythmic calcium oscillations. Mechanistically, we find that Tmem161b is expressed at the cell membrane of excitable cells and live imaging shows it is required for action potential repolarization in the developing heart. Electrophysiology on isolated cardiomyocytes demonstrates that Tmem161b is essential to inhibit Ca2+ and K+ currents in cardiomyocytes. Importantly, Tmem161b haploinsufficiency leads to cardiac rhythm phenotypes, implicating it as a candidate gene in heritable cardiac arrhythmia. Overall, these data describe Tmem161b as a highly conserved regulator of cardiac rhythm that functions to modulate ion channel activity in zebrafish and mice.
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17
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Computational Modeling of Blood Flow Hemodynamics for Biomechanical Investigation of Cardiac Development and Disease. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8020014. [PMID: 33572675 PMCID: PMC7912127 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is the first functional organ in a developing embryo. Cardiac development continues throughout developmental stages while the heart goes through a serious of drastic morphological changes. Previous animal experiments as well as clinical observations showed that disturbed hemodynamics interfere with the development of the heart and leads to the formation of a variety of defects in heart valves, heart chambers, and blood vessels, suggesting that hemodynamics is a governing factor for cardiogenesis, and disturbed hemodynamics is an important source of congenital heart defects. Therefore, there is an interest to image and quantify the flowing blood through a developing heart. Flow measurement in embryonic fetal heart can be performed using advanced techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or echocardiography. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is another approach especially useful when the other imaging modalities are not available and in-depth flow assessment is needed. The approach is based on numerically solving relevant physical equations to approximate the flow hemodynamics and tissue behavior. This approach is becoming widely adapted to simulate cardiac flows during the embryonic development. While there are few studies for human fetal cardiac flows, many groups used zebrafish and chicken embryos as useful models for elucidating normal and diseased cardiogenesis. In this paper, we explain the major steps to generate CFD models for simulating cardiac hemodynamics in vivo and summarize the latest findings on chicken and zebrafish embryos as well as human fetal hearts.
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18
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Xia J, Meng Z, Ruan H, Yin W, Xu Y, Zhang T. Heart Development and Regeneration in Non-mammalian Model Organisms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:595488. [PMID: 33251221 PMCID: PMC7673453 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.595488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease is a serious threat to human health and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Recent years have witnessed exciting progress in the understanding of heart formation and development, enabling cardiac biologists to make significant advance in the field of therapeutic heart regeneration. Most of our understanding of heart development and regeneration, including the genes and signaling pathways, are driven by pioneering works in non-mammalian model organisms, such as fruit fly, fish, frog, and chicken. Compared to mammalian animal models, non-mammalian model organisms have special advantages in high-throughput applications such as disease modeling, drug discovery, and cardiotoxicity screening. Genetically engineered animals of cardiovascular diseases provide valuable tools to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of pathogenesis and to evaluate therapeutic strategies. A large number of congenital heart diseases (CHDs) non-mammalian models have been established and tested for the genes and signaling pathways involved in the diseases. Here, we reviewed the mechanisms of heart development and regeneration revealed by these models, highlighting the advantages of non-mammalian models as tools for cardiac research. The knowledge from these animal models will facilitate therapeutic discoveries and ultimately serve to accelerate translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhong Xia
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongxuan Meng
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyue Ruan
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenguang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiming Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tiejun Zhang
- GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Qingyuan People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Youssef A, Berckmans D, Norton T. Non-Invasive PPG-Based System for Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring of Incubated Avian Embryo. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E4560. [PMID: 32823883 PMCID: PMC7472362 DOI: 10.3390/s20164560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The chicken embryo is a widely used experimental animal model in many studies, including in the field of developmental biology, of the physiological responses and adaptation to altered environments, and for cancer and neurobiology research. The embryonic heart rate is an important physiological variable used as an index reflecting the embryo's natural activity and is considered one of the most difficult parameters to measure. An acceptable measurement technique of embryonic heart rate should provide a reliable cardiac signal quality while maintaining adequate gas exchange through the eggshell during the incubation and embryonic developmental period. In this paper, we present a detailed design and methodology for a non-invasive photoplethysmography (PPG)-based prototype (Egg-PPG) for real-time and continuous monitoring of embryonic heart rate during incubation. An automatic embryonic cardiac wave detection algorithm, based on normalised spectral entropy, is described. The developed algorithm successfully estimated the embryonic heart rate with 98.7% accuracy. We believe that the system presented in this paper is a promising solution for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of the embryonic cardiac signal. The proposed system can be used in both experimental studies (e.g., developmental embryology and cardiovascular research) and in industrial incubation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tomas Norton
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU LEUVEN), Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee/Leuven, Belgium; (A.Y.); (D.B.)
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20
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Daems M, Peacock HM, Jones EAV. Fluid flow as a driver of embryonic morphogenesis. Development 2020; 147:147/15/dev185579. [PMID: 32769200 DOI: 10.1242/dev.185579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fluid flow is a powerful morphogenic force during embryonic development. The physical forces created by flowing fluids can either create morphogen gradients or be translated by mechanosensitive cells into biological changes in gene expression. In this Primer, we describe how fluid flow is created in different systems and highlight the important mechanosensitive signalling pathways involved for sensing and transducing flow during embryogenesis. Specifically, we describe how fluid flow helps establish left-right asymmetry in the early embryo and discuss the role of flow of blood, lymph and cerebrospinal fluid in sculpting the embryonic cardiovascular and nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margo Daems
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hanna M Peacock
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elizabeth A V Jones
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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21
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Wittig JG, Münsterberg A. The Chicken as a Model Organism to Study Heart Development. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2020; 12:cshperspect.a037218. [PMID: 31767650 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Heart development is a complex process and begins with the long-range migration of cardiac progenitor cells during gastrulation. This culminates in the formation of a simple contractile tube with multiple layers, which undergoes remodeling into a four-chambered heart. During this morphogenesis, additional cell populations become incorporated. It is important to unravel the underlying genetic and cellular mechanisms to be able to identify the embryonic origin of diseases, including congenital malformations, which impair cardiac function and may affect life expectancy or quality. Owing to the evolutionary conservation of development, observations made in nonamniote and amniote vertebrate species allow us to extrapolate to human. This review will focus on the contributions made to a better understanding of heart development through studying avian embryos-mainly the chicken but also quail embryos. We will illustrate the classic and recent approaches used in the avian system, give an overview of the important discoveries made, and summarize the early stages of cardiac development up to the establishment of the four-chambered heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes G Wittig
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Münsterberg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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22
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Yan Y, Wang G, Huang J, Zhang Y, Cheng X, Chuai M, Brand-Saberi B, Chen G, Jiang X, Yang X. Zinc oxide nanoparticles exposure-induced oxidative stress restricts cranial neural crest development during chicken embryogenesis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 194:110415. [PMID: 32151871 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Zinc oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used as emerging materials in agricultural and food-related fields, which exists potential safety hazards to public health and environment while bringing an added level of convenience to our original life. It has been proved that ZnO NPs could be taken up by pregnant women and passed through human placental barrier. However, the toxic potential for embryo development remains largely unanswered. In this study, we discovered that ZnO NPs caused the cytotoxicity in vitro. Inhibition of free Zn2+ ions in solution by EDTA or inhibition of Zn2+ ions absorption by CaCl2 could partially eliminate ZnO NPs-mediated cell toxicity, though not redeem completely. This indicated that both nanoparticles and the release of Zn2+ ions were involved in ZnO NPs-mediated cytotoxicity. In addition, we also found that both nanoparticles and Zn2+ ion release triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which further induced cell toxicity, inflammation and apoptosis, which are mediated by NF-κB signaling cascades and the mitochondria dysfunction, respectively. Eventually, these events lead to the suppressed production and migration of cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs), which subsequently prompts the craniofacial defects in chicken embryos. The application of the antioxidant N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) rescued the ZnO NPs-induced cell toxicity and malformation of the CNCCs, which further verified our hypothesis. Our results revealed the relevant mechanism of ZnO NPs exposure-inhibited the development of CNCCs, which absolutely contribute to assess the risk of nanoparticles application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yan
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Guang Wang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Ju Huang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xin Cheng
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Manli Chuai
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Beate Brand-Saberi
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Guobing Chen
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Geriatric Immunology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Xuesong Yang
- Division of Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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23
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Abstract
As the first organ to form and function in all vertebrates, the heart is crucial to development. Tightly-regulated levels of retinoic acid (RA) are critical for the establishment of the regulatory networks that drive normal cardiac development. Thus, the heart is an ideal organ to investigate RA signaling, with much work remaining to be done in this area. Herein, we highlight the role of RA signaling in vertebrate heart development and provide an overview of the field's inception, its current state, and in what directions it might progress so that it may yield fruitful insight for therapeutic applications within the domain of regenerative medicine.
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24
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Loganathan R, Little CD, Rongish BJ. Extracellular matrix dynamics in tubulogenesis. Cell Signal 2020; 72:109619. [PMID: 32247774 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Biological tubes form in a variety of shapes and sizes. Tubular topology of cells and tissues is a widely recognizable histological feature of multicellular life. Fluid secretion, storage, transport, absorption, exchange, and elimination-processes central to metazoans-hinge on the exquisite tubular architectures of cells, tissues, and organs. In general, the apparent structural and functional complexity of tubular tissues and organs parallels the architectural and biophysical properties of their constitution, i.e., cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Together, cellular and ECM dynamics determine the developmental trajectory, topological characteristics, and functional efficacy of biological tubes. In this review of tubulogenesis, we highlight the multifarious roles of ECM dynamics-the less recognized and poorly understood morphogenetic counterpart of cellular dynamics. The ECM is a dynamic, tripartite composite spanning the luminal, abluminal, and interstitial space within the tubulogenic realm. The critical role of ECM dynamics in the determination of shape, size, and function of tubes is evinced by developmental studies across multiple levels-from morphological through molecular-in model tubular organs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles D Little
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
| | - Brenda J Rongish
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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25
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Sharma A, Ishak N, Swee-Hin T, Pramanik M. High resolution, label-free photoacoustic imaging of live chicken embryo developing in bioengineered eggshell. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e201960108. [PMID: 31908159 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201960108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Chicken embryos have been proven to be an attractive vertebrate model for biomedical research. They have helped in making significant contributions for advancements in various fields like developmental biology, cancer research and cardiovascular studies. However, a non-invasive, label-free method of imaging live chicken embryo at high resolution still needs to be developed and optimized. In this work, we have shown the potential of photoacoustic tomography (PAT) for imaging live chicken embryos cultured in bioengineered eggshells. Laser pulses at wavelengths of 532 and 740 nm were used for attaining cross-sectional images of chicken embryos at different developmental stages. Cross-sections along different depths were imaged to gain knowledge of the relative depth of different vessels and organs. Due to high optical absorption of vasculature and embryonic eye, images with good optical contrast could be acquired using this method. We have thus reported a label-free method of performing cross-sectional imaging of chicken embryos at high resolution demonstrating the capacity of PAT as a promising tool for avian embryo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunima Sharma
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Noreen Ishak
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Teoh Swee-Hin
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Manojit Pramanik
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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26
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Spontaneous Left Cardiac Isomerism in Chick Embryos: Case Report, Review of the Literature, and Possible Significance for the Understanding of Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy in the Setting of Human Heterotaxy Syndromes. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2019; 6:jcdd6040040. [PMID: 31717331 PMCID: PMC6955803 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd6040040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The outer shape of most vertebrates is normally characterized by bilateral symmetry. The inner organs, on the other hand, are normally arranged in bilaterally asymmetric patterns. Congenital deviations from the normal organ asymmetry can occur in the form of mirror imagery of the normal arrangement (situs inversus), or in the form of arrangements that have the tendency for the development of bilateral symmetry, either in a pattern of bilateral left-sidedness (left isomerism) or bilateral right-sidedness (right isomerism). The latter two forms of visceral situs anomalies are called “heterotaxy syndromes”. During the past 30 years, remarkable progress has been made in uncovering the genetic etiology of heterotaxy syndromes. However, the pathogenetic mechanisms causing the spectrum of cardiovascular defects found in these syndromes remain poorly understood. In the present report, a spontaneous case of left cardiac isomerism found in an HH-stage 23 chick embryo is described. The observations made in this case confirmed the existence of molecular isomerism in the ventricular chambers previously noted in mouse models. They, furthermore, suggest that hearts with left cardiac isomerism may have the tendency for the development of non-compaction cardiomyopathy caused by defective development of the proepicardium.
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27
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Saxena S, Mathur P, Shukla V, Rani V. Differential expression of novel MicroRNAs from developing fetal heart of Gallus gallus domesticus implies a role in cardiac development. Mol Cell Biochem 2019; 462:157-165. [PMID: 31494815 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-019-03618-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Heart development is a complex process regulated by multi-layered genetic as well epigenetic regulators many of which are still unknown. Besides their critical role during cardiac development, these molecular regulators emerge as key modulators of cardiovascular pathologies, where fetal cardiac genes' re-expression is witnessed. MicroRNAs have recently emerged as a crucial part of signalling cascade in both development and diseases. We aimed to identify, validate, and perform functional annotation of putative novel miRNAs using chicken as a cardiac development model system. Novel miRNAs were obtained through deep sequencing of small RNAs extracted from chicken embryonic cardiac tissue of different developmental stages. After filtering out real pre-miRNAs, their expression analysis, potential target gene's prediction and functional annotations were performed. Expression analysis revealed that miRNAs were differentially expressed during different developmental stages of chicken heart. The expression of selected putative novel miRNAs was further validated by real-time PCR. Our analysis indicated the presence of novel cardiac miRNAs that might be regulating critical cardiac development events such as cardiac cell growth, differentiation, cardiac action potential generation and signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad Saxena
- Transcriptome Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Diseases, Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector-62, Noida, UP, 201307, India
| | - Priyanka Mathur
- Transcriptome Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Diseases, Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector-62, Noida, UP, 201307, India
| | - Vaibhav Shukla
- Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Vibha Rani
- Transcriptome Laboratory, Centre for Emerging Diseases, Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector-62, Noida, UP, 201307, India.
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28
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Goudy J, Henley T, Méndez HG, Bressan M. Simplified platform for mosaic in vivo analysis of cellular maturation in the developing heart. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10716. [PMID: 31341189 PMCID: PMC6656758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47009-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac cells develop within an elaborate electro-mechanical syncytium that continuously generates and reacts to biophysical force. The complexity of the cellular interactions, hemodynamic stresses, and electrical circuitry within the forming heart present significant challenges for mechanistic research into the cellular dynamics of cardiomyocyte maturation. Simply stated, it is prohibitively difficult to replicate the native electro-mechanical cardiac microenvironment in tissue culture systems favorable to high-resolution cellular/subcellular analysis, and current transgenic models of higher vertebrate heart development are limited in their ability to manipulate and assay the behavior of individual cells. As such, cardiac research currently lacks a simple experimental platform for real-time evaluation of cellular function under conditions that replicate native development. Here we report the design and validation of a rapid, low-cost system for stable in vivo somatic transgenesis that allows for individual cells to be genetically manipulated, tracked, and examined at subcellular resolution within the forming four-chambered heart. This experimental platform has several advantages over current technologies, chief among these being that mosaic cellular perturbations can be conducted without globally altering cardiac function. Consequently, direct analysis of cellular behavior can be interrogated in the absence of the organ level adaptions that often confound data interpretation in germline transgenic model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Goudy
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.,McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Trevor Henley
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.,McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Hernán G Méndez
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Michael Bressan
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA. .,McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
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29
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Saxena S, Gupta A, Shukla V, Rani V. Functional annotation of differentially expressed fetal cardiac microRNA targets: implication for microRNA-based cardiovascular therapeutics. 3 Biotech 2018; 8:494. [PMID: 30498667 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-018-1520-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression pattern of a failing heart depicts remarkable similarity with developing fetal heart. Elucidating genetic as well as epigenetic mechanisms regulating the gene expression during cardiac development will improve our understanding of cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we aimed to validate and characterize differentially expressed known microRNAs (miRNA) obtained from next generation sequencing data of two fetal cardiac developmental stages (days 4th and 14th) from chicken (G. gallus domesticus) using bioinformatic approaches. Potential mRNA targets of individual miRNA were identified and classified according to their biological, cellular, and molecular functions. Functional annotation of putative target genes was performed to predict their association with cardiovascular diseases. We identified a total of 19 differentially expressed miRNAs between 4th and 14th day sample from the data sets obtained by next generation sequencing. A total of nearly 1522 potential targets ranging from 15 to 270 for each miRNA were predicted out of which 1221 were unique, while 301 were overlapping. Gene ontology and KEGG analysis revealed that majority of these target genes regulate critical cellular and molecular processes including transcriptional regulation, protein transport, signal transduction, matrix remodeling, Ras signaling, MAPK signaling, and TGF-beta signaling pathways indicating the complex nature of microRNA-mediated gene regulation during cardiogenesis. We found a significant association between potential target genes and cardiovascular diseases validating a link between fetal cardiac miRNAs and regulation of cardiovascular disease-related genes. These important findings may lay a foundation for further understanding the regulatory mechanisms operative in gene re-programming in the failing heart.
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30
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Sivakumar A, Kurpios NA. Transcriptional regulation of cell shape during organ morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 2018; 217:2987-3005. [PMID: 30061107 PMCID: PMC6122985 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201612115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging field of transcriptional regulation of cell shape changes aims to address the critical question of how gene expression programs produce a change in cell shape. Together with cell growth, division, and death, changes in cell shape are essential for organ morphogenesis. Whereas most studies of cell shape focus on posttranslational events involved in protein organization and distribution, cell shape changes can be genetically programmed. This review highlights the essential role of transcriptional regulation of cell shape during morphogenesis of the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. We emphasize the evolutionary conservation of these processes across different model organisms and discuss perspectives on open questions and research avenues that may provide mechanistic insights toward understanding birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravind Sivakumar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - Natasza A Kurpios
- Department of Molecular Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
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31
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Kheradvar A, Zareian R, Kawauchi S, Goodwin RL, Rugonyi S. Animal Models for Heart Valve Research and Development. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 24:55-62. [PMID: 30631375 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddmod.2018.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Valvular heart disease is the third-most common cause of heart problems in the United States. Malfunction of the valves can be acquired or congenital and each may lead either to stenosis or regurgitation, or even both in some cases. Heart valve disease is a progressive disease, which is irreversible and may be fatal if left untreated. Pharmacological agents cannot currently prevent valvular calcification or help repair damaged valves, as valve tissue is unable to regenerate spontaneously. Thus, heart valve replacement/repair is the only current available treatment. Heart valve research and development is currently focused on two parallel paths; first, research that aims to understand the underlying mechanisms for heart valve disease to emerge with an ultimate goal to devise medical treatment; and second, efforts to develop repair and replacement options for a diseased valve. Studies that focus on developmental malformation, genetic and disease epigenetics usually employ small animal models that are easy to access for in vivo imaging that minimally disturbs their environment during early stages of development. Alternatively, studies that aim to develop novel device for replacement and repair of diseased valves often employ large animals whose heart size and anatomy closely replicate human's. This paper aims to briefly review the current state-of-the-art animal models, and justification to use an animal model for a particular heart valve related project.
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32
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Schmitz M, Nelemans BKA, Smit TH. A Submerged Filter Paper Sandwich for Long-term Ex Ovo Time-lapse Imaging of Early Chick Embryos. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 28060338 PMCID: PMC5226633 DOI: 10.3791/54636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to its availability, low cost, flat geometry, and transparency, the ex ovo chick embryo has become a major vertebrate animal model for the study of morphogenetic events, such as gastrulation2, neurulation3-5, somitogenesis6, heart bending7,8, and brain formation9-13, during early embryogenesis. Key to understanding morphogenetic processes is to follow them dynamically by time-lapse imaging. The acquisition of time-lapse movies of chick embryogenesis ex ovo has been limited either to short time windows or to the need for an incubator to control temperature and humidity around the embryo14. Here, we present a new technique to culture chick embryos ex ovo for high-resolution time-lapse imaging using transmitted light microscopy. The submerged filter paper sandwich is a variant of the well-established filter paper carrier technique (EC-culture)1 and allows for the culturing of chick embryos without the need for a climate chamber. The embryo is sandwiched between two identical filter paper carriers and is kept fully submerged in a simple, temperature-controlled medium covered by a layer of light mineral oil. Starting from the primitive streak stage (Hamburger-Hamilton stage 5, HH5)15 up to at least the 28-somite stage (HH16)15, embryos can be cultured with either their ventral or dorsal side up. This allows the acquisition of time-lapse movies covering about 30 hr of embryonic development. Representative time-lapse frames and movies are shown. Embryos are compared morphologically to an embryo cultured in the standard EC-culture. The submerged filter paper sandwich provides a stable environment to study early dorsal and ventral morphogenetic processes. It also allows for live fluorescence imaging and micromanipulations, such as microsurgery, bead implantation, microinjection, gene silencing, and electroporation, and has a strong potential to be combined with immersion objectives for laser-based imaging (including light-sheet microscopy).
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Schmitz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam
| | - Ben K A Nelemans
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam
| | - Theodoor H Smit
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology & Physiology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam;
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33
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Loganathan R, Rongish BJ, Smith CM, Filla MB, Czirok A, Bénazéraf B, Little CD. Extracellular matrix motion and early morphogenesis. Development 2016; 143:2056-65. [PMID: 27302396 PMCID: PMC4920166 DOI: 10.1242/dev.127886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For over a century, embryologists who studied cellular motion in early amniotes generally assumed that morphogenetic movement reflected migration relative to a static extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold. However, as we discuss in this Review, recent investigations reveal that the ECM is also moving during morphogenesis. Time-lapse studies show how convective tissue displacement patterns, as visualized by ECM markers, contribute to morphogenesis and organogenesis. Computational image analysis distinguishes between cell-autonomous (active) displacements and convection caused by large-scale (composite) tissue movements. Modern quantification of large-scale 'total' cellular motion and the accompanying ECM motion in the embryo demonstrates that a dynamic ECM is required for generation of the emergent motion patterns that drive amniote morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajprasad Loganathan
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Brenda J Rongish
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Christopher M Smith
- Department of Anatomy, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Michael B Filla
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Andras Czirok
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA Department of Biological Physics, Eotvos University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Bertrand Bénazéraf
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS (UMR 7104), Inserm U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch Graffenstaden 67400, France
| | - Charles D Little
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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