1
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Abu Nahia K, Sulej A, Migdał M, Ochocka N, Ho R, Kamińska B, Zagorski M, Winata CL. scRNA-seq reveals the diversity of the developing cardiac cell lineage and molecular players in heart rhythm regulation. iScience 2024; 27:110083. [PMID: 38872974 PMCID: PMC11170199 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
We utilized scRNA-seq to delineate the diversity of cell types in the zebrafish heart. Transcriptome profiling of over 50,000 cells at 48 and 72 hpf defined at least 18 discrete cell lineages of the developing heart. Utilizing well-established gene signatures, we identified a population of cells likely to be the primary pacemaker and characterized the transcriptome profile defining this critical cell type. Two previously uncharacterized genes, atp1b3b and colec10, were found to be enriched in the sinoatrial cardiomyocytes. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of these two genes significantly reduced heart rate, implicating their role in cardiac development and conduction. Additionally, we describe other cardiac cell lineages, including the endothelial and neural cells, providing their expression profiles as a resource. Our results established a detailed atlas of the developing heart, providing valuable insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms, and pinpointed potential new players in heart rhythm regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Sulej
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Migdał
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Ochocka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Richard Ho
- Institute of Theoretical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
- The Njord Centre, Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bożena Kamińska
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Zagorski
- Institute of Theoretical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
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2
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Mok GF, Turner S, Smith EL, Mincarelli L, Lister A, Lipscombe J, Uzun V, Haerty W, Macaulay IC, Münsterberg AE. Single cell RNA-sequencing and RNA-tomography of the avian embryo extending body axis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1382960. [PMID: 38863942 PMCID: PMC11165230 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1382960] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Vertebrate body axis formation initiates during gastrulation and continues within the tail bud at the posterior end of the embryo. Major structures in the trunk are paired somites, which generate the musculoskeletal system, the spinal cord-forming part of the central nervous system, and the notochord, with important patterning functions. The specification of these different cell lineages by key signalling pathways and transcription factors is essential, however, a global map of cell types and expressed genes in the avian trunk is missing. Methods: Here we use high-throughput sequencing approaches to generate a molecular map of the emerging trunk and tailbud in the chick embryo. Results and Discussion: Single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) identifies discrete cell lineages including somites, neural tube, neural crest, lateral plate mesoderm, ectoderm, endothelial and blood progenitors. In addition, RNA-seq of sequential tissue sections (RNA-tomography) provides a spatially resolved, genome-wide expression dataset for the avian tailbud and emerging body, comparable to other model systems. Combining the single cell and RNA-tomography datasets, we identify spatially restricted genes, focusing on somites and early myoblasts. Thus, this high-resolution transcriptome map incorporating cell types in the embryonic trunk can expose molecular pathways involved in body axis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. F. Mok
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - S. Turner
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - E. L. Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - A. Lister
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - V. Uzun
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - W. Haerty
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | | | - A. E. Münsterberg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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3
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Guo C, Ye W, Cao D, Shi M, Zhang W, Cheng Y, Wang Y, Xia XQ. Unraveling the stereoscopic gene transcriptional landscape of zebrafish using FishSED, a fish spatial expression database with multispecies scalability. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:843-846. [PMID: 37758906 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2418-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Guo
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weidong Ye
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Danying Cao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mijuan Shi
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Wanting Zhang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yingyin Cheng
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiao-Qin Xia
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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4
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van der Maarel LE, Christoffels VM. Development of the Cardiac Conduction System. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1441:185-200. [PMID: 38884712 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44087-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The electrical impulses that coordinate the sequential, rhythmic contractions of the atria and ventricles are initiated and tightly regulated by the specialized tissues of the cardiac conduction system. In the mature heart, these impulses are generated by the pacemaker cardiomyocytes of the sinoatrial node, propagated through the atria to the atrioventricular node where they are delayed and then rapidly propagated to the atrioventricular bundle, right and left bundle branches, and finally, the peripheral ventricular conduction system. Each of these specialized components arise by complex patterning events during embryonic development. This chapter addresses the origins and transcriptional networks and signaling pathways that drive the development and maintain the function of the cardiac conduction system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieve E van der Maarel
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent M Christoffels
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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5
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Huang X, Fu Y, Lee H, Zhao Y, Yang W, van de Leemput J, Han Z. Single-cell profiling of the developing embryonic heart in Drosophila. Development 2023; 150:dev201936. [PMID: 37526610 PMCID: PMC10482008 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila is an important model for studying heart development and disease. Yet, single-cell transcriptomic data of its developing heart have not been performed. Here, we report single-cell profiling of the entire fly heart using ∼3000 Hand-GFP embryos collected at five consecutive developmental stages, ranging from bilateral migrating rows of cardiac progenitors to a fused heart tube. The data revealed six distinct cardiac cell types in the embryonic fly heart: cardioblasts, both Svp+ and Tin+ subtypes; and five types of pericardial cell (PC) that can be distinguished by four key transcription factors (Eve, Odd, Ct and Tin) and include the newly described end of the line PC. Notably, the embryonic fly heart combines transcriptional signatures of the mammalian first and second heart fields. Using unique markers for each heart cell type, we defined their number and location during heart development to build a comprehensive 3D cell map. These data provide a resource to track the expression of any gene in the developing fly heart, which can serve as a reference to study genetic perturbations and cardiac diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Huang
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yulong Fu
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Hangnoh Lee
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yunpo Zhao
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Wendy Yang
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Joyce van de Leemput
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Zhe Han
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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6
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Giardoglou P, Deloukas P, Dedoussis G, Beis D. Cfdp1 Is Essential for Cardiac Development and Function. Cells 2023; 12:1994. [PMID: 37566073 PMCID: PMC10417793 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151994] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the prevalent cause of mortality worldwide. A combination of environmental and genetic effectors modulates the risk of developing them. Thus, it is vital to identify candidate genes and elucidate their role in the manifestation of the disease. Large-scale human studies have revealed the implication of Craniofacial Development Protein 1 (CFDP1) in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). CFDP1 belongs to the evolutionary conserved Bucentaur (BCNT) family, and to date, its function and mechanism of action in Cardiovascular Development are still unclear. We utilized zebrafish to investigate the role of cfdp1 in the developing heart due to the high genomic homology, similarity in heart physiology, and ease of experimental manipulations. We showed that cfdp1 was expressed during development, and we tested two morpholinos and generated a cfdp1 mutant line. The cfdp1-/- embryos developed arrhythmic hearts and exhibited defective cardiac performance, which led to a lethal phenotype. Findings from both knockdown and knockout experiments showed that abrogation of cfdp1 leads to downregulation of Wnt signaling in embryonic hearts during valve development but without affecting Notch activation in this process. The cfdp1 zebrafish mutant line provides a valuable tool for unveiling the novel mechanism of regulating cardiac physiology and function. cfdp1 is essential for cardiac development, a previously unreported phenotype most likely due to early lethality in mice. The detected phenotype of bradycardia and arrhythmias is an observation with potential clinical relevance for humans carrying heterozygous CFDP1 mutations and their risk of developing CAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Giardoglou
- Zebrafish Disease Model Laboratory, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University of Athens, 17676 Athens, Greece;
| | - Panos Deloukas
- Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London Medical School, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK;
| | - George Dedoussis
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University of Athens, 17676 Athens, Greece;
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Zebrafish Disease Model Laboratory, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
- Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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7
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Martin KE, Ravisankar P, Beerens M, MacRae CA, Waxman JS. Nr2f1a maintains atrial nkx2.5 expression to repress pacemaker identity within venous atrial cardiomyocytes of zebrafish. eLife 2023; 12:e77408. [PMID: 37184369 PMCID: PMC10185342 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77408] [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: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of cardiomyocyte identity is vital for normal heart development and function. However, our understanding of cardiomyocyte plasticity remains incomplete. Here, we show that sustained expression of the zebrafish transcription factor Nr2f1a prevents the progressive acquisition of ventricular cardiomyocyte (VC) and pacemaker cardiomyocyte (PC) identities within distinct regions of the atrium. Transcriptomic analysis of flow-sorted atrial cardiomyocytes (ACs) from nr2f1a mutant zebrafish embryos showed increased VC marker gene expression and altered expression of core PC regulatory genes, including decreased expression of nkx2.5, a critical repressor of PC differentiation. At the arterial (outflow) pole of the atrium in nr2f1a mutants, cardiomyocytes resolve to VC identity within the expanded atrioventricular canal. However, at the venous (inflow) pole of the atrium, there is a progressive wave of AC transdifferentiation into PCs across the atrium toward the arterial pole. Restoring Nkx2.5 is sufficient to repress PC marker identity in nr2f1a mutant atria and analysis of chromatin accessibility identified an Nr2f1a-dependent nkx2.5 enhancer expressed in the atrial myocardium directly adjacent to PCs. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of the putative nkx2.5 enhancer leads to a loss of Nkx2.5-expressing ACs and expansion of a PC reporter, supporting that Nr2f1a limits PC differentiation within venous ACs via maintaining nkx2.5 expression. The Nr2f-dependent maintenance of AC identity within discrete atrial compartments may provide insights into the molecular etiology of concurrent structural congenital heart defects and associated arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall E Martin
- Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiUnited States
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiUnited States
| | - Padmapriyadarshini Ravisankar
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiUnited States
| | - Manu Beerens
- Divisions of Cardiovascular Medicine, Genetics and Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Calum A MacRae
- Divisions of Cardiovascular Medicine, Genetics and Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Joshua S Waxman
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiUnited States
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8
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Zhao Y, van de Leemput J, Han Z. The opportunities and challenges of using Drosophila to model human cardiac diseases. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1182610. [PMID: 37123266 PMCID: PMC10130661 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1182610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila heart tube seems simple, yet it has notable anatomic complexity and contains highly specialized structures. In fact, the development of the fly heart tube much resembles that of the earliest stages of mammalian heart development, and the molecular-genetic mechanisms driving these processes are highly conserved between flies and humans. Combined with the fly's unmatched genetic tools and a wide variety of techniques to assay both structure and function in the living fly heart, these attributes have made Drosophila a valuable model system for studying human heart development and disease. This perspective focuses on the functional and physiological similarities between fly and human hearts. Further, it discusses current limitations in using the fly, as well as promising prospects to expand the capabilities of Drosophila as a research model for studying human cardiac diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpo Zhao
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joyce van de Leemput
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Zhe Han
- Center for Precision Disease Modeling, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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9
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Balatskyi VV, Sowka A, Dobrzyn P, Piven OO. WNT/β-catenin pathway is a key regulator of cardiac function and energetic metabolism. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2023; 237:e13912. [PMID: 36599355 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The WNT/β-catenin pathway is a master regulator of cardiac development and growth, and its activity is low in healthy adult hearts. However, even this low activity is essential for maintaining normal heart function. Acute activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling cascade is considered to be cardioprotective after infarction through the upregulation of prosurvival genes and reprogramming of metabolism. Chronically high WNT/β-catenin pathway activity causes profibrotic and hypertrophic effects in the adult heart. New data suggest more complex functions of β-catenin in metabolic maturation of the perinatal heart, establishing an adult pattern of glucose and fatty acid utilization. Additionally, low basal activity of the WNT/β-catenin cascade maintains oxidative metabolism in the adult heart, and this pathway is reactivated by physiological or pathological stimuli to meet the higher energy needs of the heart. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the organization of canonical WNT signaling and its function in cardiogenesis, heart maturation, adult heart function, and remodeling. We also discuss the role of the WNT/β-catenin pathway in cardiac glucose, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volodymyr V Balatskyi
- Laboratory of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Adrian Sowka
- Laboratory of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pawel Dobrzyn
- Laboratory of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Oksana O Piven
- Laboratory of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Human Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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10
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Choe K, Pak U, Pang Y, Hao W, Yang X. Advances and Challenges in Spatial Transcriptomics for Developmental Biology. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010156. [PMID: 36671541 PMCID: PMC9855858 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Development from single cells to multicellular tissues and organs involves more than just the exact replication of cells, which is known as differentiation. The primary focus of research into the mechanism of differentiation has been differences in gene expression profiles between individual cells. However, it has predominantly been conducted at low throughput and bulk levels, challenging the efforts to understand molecular mechanisms of differentiation during the developmental process in animals and humans. During the last decades, rapid methodological advancements in genomics facilitated the ability to study developmental processes at a genome-wide level and finer resolution. Particularly, sequencing transcriptomes at single-cell resolution, enabled by single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), was a breath-taking innovation, allowing scientists to gain a better understanding of differentiation and cell lineage during the developmental process. However, single-cell isolation during scRNA-seq results in the loss of the spatial information of individual cells and consequently limits our understanding of the specific functions of the cells performed by different spatial regions of tissues or organs. This greatly encourages the emergence of the spatial transcriptomic discipline and tools. Here, we summarize the recent application of scRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomic tools for developmental biology. We also discuss the limitations of current spatial transcriptomic tools and approaches, as well as possible solutions and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyongho Choe
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Unil Pak
- College of Landscape Architecture, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yu Pang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Wanjun Hao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xiuqin Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-451-55191738
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11
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Boileau E, Li X, Naarmann-de Vries IS, Becker C, Casper R, Altmüller J, Leuschner F, Dieterich C. Full-Length Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals the Unexplored Isoform Diversity of the Myocardium Post-MI. Front Genet 2022; 13:912572. [PMID: 35937994 PMCID: PMC9354982 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.912572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We introduce Single-cell Nanopore Spatial Transcriptomics (scNaST), a software suite to facilitate the analysis of spatial gene expression from second- and third-generation sequencing, allowing to generate a full-length near-single-cell transcriptional landscape of the tissue microenvironment. Taking advantage of the Visium Spatial platform, we adapted a strategy recently developed to assign barcodes to long-read single-cell sequencing data for spatial capture technology. Here, we demonstrate our workflow using four short axis sections of the mouse heart following myocardial infarction. We constructed a de novo transcriptome using long-read data, and successfully assigned 19,794 transcript isoforms in total, including clinically-relevant, but yet uncharacterized modes of transcription, such as intron retention or antisense overlapping transcription. We showed a higher transcriptome complexity in the healthy regions, and identified intron retention as a mode of transcription associated with the infarct area. Our data revealed a clear regional isoform switching among differentially used transcripts for genes involved in cardiac muscle contraction and tissue morphogenesis. Molecular signatures involved in cardiac remodeling integrated with morphological context may support the development of new therapeutics towards the treatment of heart failure and the reduction of cardiac complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Boileau
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabel S Naarmann-de Vries
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Becker
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ramona Casper
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Janine Altmüller
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Leuschner
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, Klaus Tschira Institute for Integrative Computational Cardiology, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) Partner Site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Christoph Dieterich,
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12
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Perl E, Ravisankar P, Beerens ME, Mulahasanovic L, Smallwood K, Sasso MB, Wenzel C, Ryan TD, Komár M, Bove KE, MacRae CA, Weaver KN, Prada CE, Waxman JS. Stx4 is required to regulate cardiomyocyte Ca 2+ handling during vertebrate cardiac development. HGG ADVANCES 2022; 3:100115. [PMID: 35599850 PMCID: PMC9114686 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2022.100115] [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: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Requirements for vesicle fusion within the heart remain poorly understood, despite the multitude of processes that necessitate proper intracellular trafficking within cardiomyocytes. Here, we show that Syntaxin 4 (STX4), a target-Soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment receptor (t-SNARE) protein, is required for normal vertebrate cardiac conduction and vesicular transport. Two patients were identified with damaging variants in STX4. A patient with a homozygous R240W missense variant displayed biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy, ectopy, and runs of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, sensorineural hearing loss, global developmental delay, and hypotonia, while a second patient displayed severe pleiotropic abnormalities and perinatal lethality. CRISPR/Cas9-generated stx4 mutant zebrafish exhibited defects reminiscent of these patients' clinical presentations, including linearized hearts, bradycardia, otic vesicle dysgenesis, neuronal atrophy, and touch insensitivity by 3 days post fertilization. Imaging of Vamp2+ vesicles within stx4 mutant zebrafish hearts showed reduced docking to the cardiomyocyte sarcolemma. Optical mapping of the embryonic hearts coupled with pharmacological modulation of Ca2+ handling together support that zebrafish stx4 mutants have a reduction in L-type Ca2+ channel modulation. Transgenic overexpression of zebrafish Stx4R241W, analogous to the first patient's STX4R240W variant, indicated that the variant is hypomorphic. Thus, these data show an in vivo requirement for SNAREs in regulating normal embryonic cardiac function and that variants in STX4 are associated with pleiotropic human disease, including cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliyahu Perl
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Padmapriyadarshini Ravisankar
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Manu E. Beerens
- Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lejla Mulahasanovic
- Praxis für Humangenetik, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany,CeGaT GmbH, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Kelly Smallwood
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marion Bermúdez Sasso
- Institute for Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
| | - Carina Wenzel
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas D. Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Matej Komár
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Saxony, Germany
| | - Kevin E. Bove
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Calum A. MacRae
- Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Genetics and Network Medicine Divisions, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K. Nicole Weaver
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Carlos E. Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joshua S. Waxman
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA,Corresponding author
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13
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Taliaferro JM. Transcriptome-scale methods for uncovering subcellular RNA localization mechanisms. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2022; 1869:119202. [PMID: 34998919 PMCID: PMC9035289 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.119202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Across a variety of systems, thousands of RNAs are localized to specific subcellular locations. However, for the vast majority of these RNAs, the mechanisms that underlie their transport are unknown. Historically, these mechanisms were uncovered for a single transcript at a time by laboriously testing the ability of RNA fragments to direct transcript localization. Recently developed methods profile the content of subcellular transcriptomes using high-throughput sequencing, allowing the analysis of the localization of thousands of transcripts at once. By identifying commonalities shared among multiple localized transcripts, these methods have the potential to rapidly expand our understanding of RNA localization mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Matthew Taliaferro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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14
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Ghazizadeh Z, Zhu J, Fattahi F, Tang A, Sun X, Amin S, Tsai SY, Khalaj M, Zhou T, Samuel RM, Zhang T, Ortega FA, Gordillo M, Moroziewicz D, Paull D, Noggle SA, Xiang JZ, Studer L, Christini DJ, Pitt GS, Evans T, Chen S. A dual SHOX2:GFP; MYH6:mCherry knockin hESC reporter line for derivation of human SAN-like cells. iScience 2022; 25:104153. [PMID: 35434558 PMCID: PMC9010642 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The sinoatrial node (SAN) is the primary pacemaker of the heart. The human SAN is poorly understood due to limited primary tissue access and limitations in robust in vitro derivation methods. We developed a dual SHOX2:GFP; MYH6:mCherry knockin human embryonic stem cell (hESC) reporter line, which allows the identification and purification of SAN-like cells. Using this line, we performed several rounds of chemical screens and developed an efficient strategy to generate and purify hESC-derived SAN-like cells (hESC-SAN). The derived hESC-SAN cells display molecular and electrophysiological characteristics of bona fide nodal cells, which allowed exploration of their transcriptional profile at single-cell level. In sum, our dual reporter system facilitated an effective strategy for deriving human SAN-like cells, which can potentially be used for future disease modeling and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaniar Ghazizadeh
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Jiajun Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Faranak Fattahi
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA,Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Alice Tang
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Xiaolu Sun
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Sadaf Amin
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Su-Yi Tsai
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Mona Khalaj
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ting Zhou
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ryan M. Samuel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Genomic Resource Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Francis A. Ortega
- Physiology, Biophysics, and Systems Biology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA,Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Miriam Gordillo
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Dorota Moroziewicz
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, 619 West 54th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | | | - Daniel Paull
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, 619 West 54th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - Scott A. Noggle
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, 619 West 54th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - Jenny Zhaoying Xiang
- Genomic Resource Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David J. Christini
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Geoffrey S. Pitt
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Todd Evans
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Shuibing Chen
- Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
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15
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Derrick CJ, Sánchez-Posada J, Hussein F, Tessadori F, Pollitt EJG, Savage AM, Wilkinson RN, Chico TJ, van Eeden FJ, Bakkers J, Noël ES. Asymmetric Hapln1a drives regionalized cardiac ECM expansion and promotes heart morphogenesis in zebrafish development. Cardiovasc Res 2022; 118:226-240. [PMID: 33616638 PMCID: PMC8752364 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Vertebrate heart development requires the complex morphogenesis of a linear tube to form the mature organ, a process essential for correct cardiac form and function, requiring coordination of embryonic laterality, cardiac growth, and regionalized cellular changes. While previous studies have demonstrated broad requirements for extracellular matrix (ECM) components in cardiac morphogenesis, we hypothesized that ECM regionalization may fine tune cardiac shape during heart development. METHODS AND RESULTS Using live in vivo light sheet imaging of zebrafish embryos, we describe a left-sided expansion of the ECM between the myocardium and endocardium prior to the onset of heart looping and chamber ballooning. Analysis using an ECM sensor revealed the cardiac ECM is further regionalized along the atrioventricular axis. Spatial transcriptomic analysis of gene expression in the heart tube identified candidate genes that may drive ECM expansion. This approach identified regionalized expression of hapln1a, encoding an ECM cross-linking protein. Validation of transcriptomic data by in situ hybridization confirmed regionalized hapln1a expression in the heart, with highest levels of expression in the future atrium and on the left side of the tube, overlapping with the observed ECM expansion. Analysis of CRISPR-Cas9-generated hapln1a mutants revealed a reduction in atrial size and reduced chamber ballooning. Loss-of-function analysis demonstrated that ECM expansion is dependent upon Hapln1a, together supporting a role for Hapln1a in regionalized ECM modulation and cardiac morphogenesis. Analysis of hapln1a expression in zebrafish mutants with randomized or absent embryonic left-right asymmetry revealed that laterality cues position hapln1a-expressing cells asymmetrically in the left side of the heart tube. CONCLUSION We identify a regionalized ECM expansion in the heart tube which promotes correct heart development, and propose a novel model whereby embryonic laterality cues orient the axis of ECM asymmetry in the heart, suggesting these two pathways interact to promote robust cardiac morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Derrick
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Juliana Sánchez-Posada
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Farah Hussein
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Federico Tessadori
- Hubrecht Institute for Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Eric J G Pollitt
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Aaron M Savage
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| | - Robert N Wilkinson
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| | - Timothy J Chico
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| | - Fredericus J van Eeden
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jeroen Bakkers
- Hubrecht Institute for Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Emily S Noël
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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16
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Gauvrit S, Bossaer J, Lee J, Collins MM. Modeling Human Cardiac Arrhythmias: Insights from Zebrafish. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022; 9:jcdd9010013. [PMID: 35050223 PMCID: PMC8779270 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd9010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heart rhythm, is associated with morbidity and mortality and is described as one of the most important future public health challenges. Therefore, developing new models of cardiac arrhythmia is critical for understanding disease mechanisms, determining genetic underpinnings, and developing new therapeutic strategies. In the last few decades, the zebrafish has emerged as an attractive model to reproduce in vivo human cardiac pathologies, including arrhythmias. Here, we highlight the contribution of zebrafish to the field and discuss the available cardiac arrhythmia models. Further, we outline techniques to assess potential heart rhythm defects in larval and adult zebrafish. As genetic tools in zebrafish continue to bloom, this model will be crucial for functional genomics studies and to develop personalized anti-arrhythmic therapies.
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17
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Mayeur H, Lanoizelet M, Quillien A, Menuet A, Michel L, Martin KJ, Dejean S, Blader P, Mazan S, Lagadec R. When Bigger Is Better: 3D RNA Profiling of the Developing Head in the Catshark Scyliorhinus canicula. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:744982. [PMID: 34746140 PMCID: PMC8569936 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.744982] [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: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the adaptation of RNA tomography, a technique allowing spatially resolved, genome-wide expression profiling, to a species occupying a key phylogenetic position in gnathostomes, the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula. We focused analysis on head explants at an embryonic stage, shortly following neural tube closure and of interest for a number of developmental processes, including early brain patterning, placode specification or the establishment of epithalamic asymmetry. As described in the zebrafish, we have sequenced RNAs extracted from serial sections along transverse, horizontal and sagittal planes, mapped the data onto a gene reference taking advantage of the high continuity genome recently released in the catshark, and projected read counts onto a digital model of the head obtained by confocal microscopy. This results in the generation of a genome-wide 3D atlas, containing expression data for most protein-coding genes in a digital model of the embryonic head. The digital profiles obtained for candidate forebrain regional markers along antero-posterior, dorso-ventral and left-right axes reproduce those obtained by in situ hybridization (ISH), with expected relative organizations. We also use spatial autocorrelation and correlation as measures to analyze these data and show that they provide adequate statistical tools to extract novel expression information from the model. These data and tools allow exhaustive searches of genes exhibiting any predefined expression characteristic, such a restriction to a territory of interest, thus providing a reference for comparative analyses across gnathostomes. This methodology appears best suited to species endowed with large embryo or organ sizes and opens novel perspectives to a wide range of evo-devo model organisms, traditionally counter-selected on size criterion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Mayeur
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7232-Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Maxence Lanoizelet
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7232-Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Aurélie Quillien
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD UMR 5077), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Arnaud Menuet
- UMR 7355, Experimental and Molecular Immunology and Neurogenetics, CNRS and University of Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - Léo Michel
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7232-Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Kyle John Martin
- United Kingdom Research and Innovation, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Swindon, United Kingdom
| | - Sébastien Dejean
- Institut de Mathématiques de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, UMR 5219, Toulouse, France
| | - Patrick Blader
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD UMR 5077), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Sylvie Mazan
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7232-Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Ronan Lagadec
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7232-Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
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18
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Kikel-Coury NL, Brandt JP, Correia IA, O’Dea MR, DeSantis DF, Sterling F, Vaughan K, Ozcebe G, Zorlutuna P, Smith CJ. Identification of astroglia-like cardiac nexus glia that are critical regulators of cardiac development and function. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001444. [PMID: 34793438 PMCID: PMC8601506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glial cells are essential for functionality of the nervous system. Growing evidence underscores the importance of astrocytes; however, analogous astroglia in peripheral organs are poorly understood. Using confocal time-lapse imaging, fate mapping, and mutant genesis in a zebrafish model, we identify a neural crest-derived glial cell, termed nexus glia, which utilizes Meteorin signaling via Jak/Stat3 to drive differentiation and regulate heart rate and rhythm. Nexus glia are labeled with gfap, glast, and glutamine synthetase, markers that typically denote astroglia cells. Further, analysis of single-cell sequencing datasets of human and murine hearts across ages reveals astrocyte-like cells, which we confirm through a multispecies approach. We show that cardiac nexus glia at the outflow tract are critical regulators of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic system. These data establish the crucial role of glia on cardiac homeostasis and provide a description of nexus glia in the PNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina L. Kikel-Coury
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jacob P. Brandt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Isabel A. Correia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Michael R. O’Dea
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Dana F. DeSantis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Felicity Sterling
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kevin Vaughan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Gulberk Ozcebe
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Pinar Zorlutuna
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Cody J. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
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19
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Paolini A, Fontana F, Pham VC, Rödel CJ, Abdelilah-Seyfried S. Mechanosensitive Notch-Dll4 and Klf2-Wnt9 signaling pathways intersect in guiding valvulogenesis in zebrafish. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109782. [PMID: 34610316 PMCID: PMC8511505 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In the zebrafish embryo, the onset of blood flow generates fluid shear stress on endocardial cells, which are specialized endothelial cells that line the interior of the heart. High levels of fluid shear stress activate both Notch and Klf2 signaling, which play crucial roles in atrioventricular valvulogenesis. However, it remains unclear why only individual endocardial cells ingress into the cardiac jelly and initiate valvulogenesis. Here, we show that lateral inhibition between endocardial cells, mediated by Notch, singles out Delta-like-4-positive endocardial cells. These cells ingress into the cardiac jelly, where they form an abluminal cell population. Delta-like-4-positive cells ingress in response to Wnt9a, which is produced in parallel through an Erk5-Klf2-Wnt9a signaling cascade also activated by blood flow. Hence, mechanical stimulation activates parallel mechanosensitive signaling pathways that produce binary effects by driving endocardial cells toward either luminal or abluminal fates. Ultimately, these cell fate decisions sculpt cardiac valve leaflets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Paolini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Federica Fontana
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Van-Cuong Pham
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Claudia Jasmin Rödel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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20
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Mohenska M, Tan NM, Tokolyi A, Furtado MB, Costa MW, Perry AJ, Hatwell-Humble J, van Duijvenboden K, Nim HT, Ji YMM, Charitakis N, Bienroth D, Bolk F, Vivien C, Knaupp AS, Powell DR, Elliott DA, Porrello ER, Nilsson SK, Del Monte-Nieto G, Rosenthal NA, Rossello FJ, Polo JM, Ramialison M. 3D-cardiomics: A spatial transcriptional atlas of the mammalian heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2021; 163:20-32. [PMID: 34624332 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2021.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the spatial gene expression and regulation in the heart is key to uncovering its developmental and physiological processes, during homeostasis and disease. Numerous techniques exist to gain gene expression and regulation information in organs such as the heart, but few utilize intuitive true-to-life three-dimensional representations to analyze and visualise results. Here we combined transcriptomics with 3D-modelling to interrogate spatial gene expression in the mammalian heart. For this, we microdissected and sequenced transcriptome-wide 18 anatomical sections of the adult mouse heart. Our study has unveiled known and novel genes that display complex spatial expression in the heart sub-compartments. We have also created 3D-cardiomics, an interface for spatial transcriptome analysis and visualization that allows the easy exploration of these data in a 3D model of the heart. 3D-cardiomics is accessible from http://3d-cardiomics.erc.monash.edu/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Mohenska
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nathalia M Tan
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Tokolyi
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Milena B Furtado
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Mauro W Costa
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA
| | - Andrew J Perry
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica Hatwell-Humble
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO Manufacturing, Bag 10, Clayton South, Australia
| | | | - Hieu T Nim
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Systems Biology Institute Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuan M M Ji
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalie Charitakis
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Denis Bienroth
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Francesca Bolk
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Melbourne Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Celine Vivien
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Anja S Knaupp
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - David R Powell
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - David A Elliott
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Enzo R Porrello
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Melbourne Centre for Cardiovascular Genomics and Regenerative Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan K Nilsson
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Biomedical Manufacturing, CSIRO Manufacturing, Bag 10, Clayton South, Australia
| | - Gonzalo Del Monte-Nieto
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nadia A Rosenthal
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando J Rossello
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Jose M Polo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Mirana Ramialison
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne 3052, VIC, Australia; Systems Biology Institute Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
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21
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Minhas R, Loeffler-Wirth H, Siddiqui YH, Obrębski T, Vashisht S, Abu Nahia K, Paterek A, Brzozowska A, Bugajski L, Piwocka K, Korzh V, Binder H, Winata CL. Transcriptome profile of the sinoatrial ring reveals conserved and novel genetic programs of the zebrafish pacemaker. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:715. [PMID: 34600492 PMCID: PMC8487553 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08016-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sinoatrial Node (SAN) is part of the cardiac conduction system, which controls the rhythmic contraction of the vertebrate heart. The SAN consists of a specialized pacemaker cell population that has the potential to generate electrical impulses. Although the SAN pacemaker has been extensively studied in mammalian and teleost models, including the zebrafish, their molecular nature remains inadequately comprehended. RESULTS To characterize the molecular profile of the zebrafish sinoatrial ring (SAR) and elucidate the mechanism of pacemaker function, we utilized the transgenic line sqet33mi59BEt to isolate cells of the SAR of developing zebrafish embryos and profiled their transcriptome. Our analyses identified novel candidate genes and well-known conserved signaling pathways involved in pacemaker development. We show that, compared to the rest of the heart, the zebrafish SAR overexpresses several mammalian SAN pacemaker signature genes, which include hcn4 as well as those encoding calcium- and potassium-gated channels. Moreover, genes encoding components of the BMP and Wnt signaling pathways, as well as members of the Tbx family, which have previously been implicated in pacemaker development, were also overexpressed in the SAR. Among SAR-overexpressed genes, 24 had human homologues implicated in 104 different ClinVar phenotype entries related to various forms of congenital heart diseases, which suggest the relevance of our transcriptomics resource to studying human heart conditions. Finally, functional analyses of three SAR-overexpressed genes, pard6a, prom2, and atp1a1a.2, uncovered their novel role in heart development and physiology. CONCLUSION Our results established conserved aspects between zebrafish and mammalian pacemaker function and revealed novel factors implicated in maintaining cardiac rhythm. The transcriptome data generated in this study represents a unique and valuable resource for the study of pacemaker function and associated heart diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashid Minhas
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yusra H Siddiqui
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- School of Human Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Tomasz Obrębski
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Shikha Vashisht
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexandra Paterek
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Angelika Brzozowska
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Bugajski
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Piwocka
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Laboratory of Cytometry, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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22
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Longo SK, Guo MG, Ji AL, Khavari PA. Integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to elucidate intercellular tissue dynamics. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:627-644. [PMID: 34145435 PMCID: PMC9888017 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00370-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 368] [Impact Index Per Article: 122.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) identifies cell subpopulations within tissue but does not capture their spatial distribution nor reveal local networks of intercellular communication acting in situ. A suite of recently developed techniques that localize RNA within tissue, including multiplexed in situ hybridization and in situ sequencing (here defined as high-plex RNA imaging) and spatial barcoding, can help address this issue. However, no method currently provides as complete a scope of the transcriptome as does scRNA-seq, underscoring the need for approaches to integrate single-cell and spatial data. Here, we review efforts to integrate scRNA-seq with spatial transcriptomics, including emerging integrative computational methods, and propose ways to effectively combine current methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia K. Longo
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Margaret G. Guo
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Program in Biomedical Informatics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrew L. Ji
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Paul A. Khavari
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA,Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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23
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Abu Nahia K, Migdał M, Quinn TA, Poon KL, Łapiński M, Sulej A, Liu J, Mondal SS, Pawlak M, Bugajski Ł, Piwocka K, Brand T, Kohl P, Korzh V, Winata C. Genomic and physiological analyses of the zebrafish atrioventricular canal reveal molecular building blocks of the secondary pacemaker region. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6669-6687. [PMID: 34557935 PMCID: PMC8558220 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The atrioventricular canal (AVC) is the site where key structures responsible for functional division between heart regions are established, most importantly, the atrioventricular (AV) conduction system and cardiac valves. To elucidate the mechanism underlying AVC development and function, we utilized transgenic zebrafish line sqet31Et expressing EGFP in the AVC to isolate this cell population and profile its transcriptome at 48 and 72 hpf. The zebrafish AVC transcriptome exhibits hallmarks of mammalian AV node, including the expression of genes implicated in its development and those encoding connexins forming low conductance gap junctions. Transcriptome analysis uncovered protein-coding and noncoding transcripts enriched in AVC, which have not been previously associated with this structure, as well as dynamic expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers and components of TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signaling pathways likely reflecting ongoing AVC and valve development. Using transgenic line Tg(myl7:mermaid) encoding voltage-sensitive fluorescent protein, we show that abolishing the pacemaker-containing sinoatrial ring (SAR) through Isl1 loss of function resulted in spontaneous activation in the AVC region, suggesting that it possesses inherent automaticity although insufficient to replace the SAR. The SAR and AVC transcriptomes express partially overlapping species of ion channels and gap junction proteins, reflecting their distinct roles. Besides identifying conserved aspects between zebrafish and mammalian conduction systems, our results established molecular hallmarks of the developing AVC which underlies its role in structural and electrophysiological separation between heart chambers. This data constitutes a valuable resource for studying AVC development and function, and identification of novel candidate genes implicated in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Abu Nahia
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Migdał
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - T Alexander Quinn
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kar-Lai Poon
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Dr, Singapore , Singapore.,Developmental Dynamics, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Maciej Łapiński
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Sulej
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jiandong Liu
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Shamba S Mondal
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Pawlak
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Thomas Brand
- Developmental Dynamics, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Kohl
- Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Centre, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Vladimir Korzh
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Cecilia Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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24
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Hallab JC, Nim HT, Stolper J, Chahal G, Waylen L, Bolk F, Elliott DA, Porrello E, Ramialison M. Towards spatio-temporally resolved developmental cardiac gene regulatory networks in zebrafish. Brief Funct Genomics 2021:elab030. [PMID: 34170300 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart formation in the zebrafish involves a rapid, complex series of morphogenetic events in three-dimensional space that spans cardiac lineage specification through to chamber formation and maturation. This process is tightly orchestrated by a cardiac gene regulatory network (GRN), which ensures the precise spatio-temporal deployment of genes critical for heart formation. Alterations of the timing or spatial localisation of gene expression can have a significant impact in cardiac ontogeny and may lead to heart malformations. Hence, a better understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of congenital heart disease relies on understanding the behaviour of cardiac GRNs with precise spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we review the recent technical advances that have expanded our capacity to interrogate the cardiac GRN in zebrafish. In particular, we focus on studies utilising high-throughput technologies to systematically dissect gene expression patterns, both temporally and spatially during heart development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mirana Ramialison
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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25
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Nagle MP, Tam GS, Maltz E, Hemminger Z, Wollman R. Bridging scales: From cell biology to physiology using in situ single-cell technologies. Cell Syst 2021; 12:388-400. [PMID: 34015260 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biological organization crosses multiple spatial scales: from molecular, cellular, to tissues and organs. The proliferation of molecular profiling technologies enables increasingly detailed cataloging of the components at each scale. However, the scarcity of spatial profiling has made it challenging to bridge across these scales. Emerging technologies based on highly multiplexed in situ profiling are paving the way to study the spatial organization of cells and tissues in greater detail. These new technologies provide the data needed to cross the scale from cell biology to physiology and identify the fundamental principles that govern tissue organization. Here, we provide an overview of these key technologies and discuss the current and future insights these powerful techniques enable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve P Nagle
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Gabriela S Tam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Evan Maltz
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Zachary Hemminger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Roy Wollman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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26
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Kemmler CL, Riemslagh FW, Moran HR, Mosimann C. From Stripes to a Beating Heart: Early Cardiac Development in Zebrafish. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:17. [PMID: 33578943 PMCID: PMC7916704 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8020017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is the first functional organ to form during vertebrate development. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of human birth defect, many originating as anomalies in early heart development. The zebrafish model provides an accessible vertebrate system to study early heart morphogenesis and to gain new insights into the mechanisms of congenital disease. Although composed of only two chambers compared with the four-chambered mammalian heart, the zebrafish heart integrates the core processes and cellular lineages central to cardiac development across vertebrates. The rapid, translucent development of zebrafish is amenable to in vivo imaging and genetic lineage tracing techniques, providing versatile tools to study heart field migration and myocardial progenitor addition and differentiation. Combining transgenic reporters with rapid genome engineering via CRISPR-Cas9 allows for functional testing of candidate genes associated with congenital heart defects and the discovery of molecular causes leading to observed phenotypes. Here, we summarize key insights gained through zebrafish studies into the early patterning of uncommitted lateral plate mesoderm into cardiac progenitors and their regulation. We review the central genetic mechanisms, available tools, and approaches for modeling congenital heart anomalies in the zebrafish as a representative vertebrate model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christian Mosimann
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; (C.L.K.); (F.W.R.); (H.R.M.)
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27
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Martin KE, Waxman JS. Atrial and Sinoatrial Node Development in the Zebrafish Heart. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2021; 8:jcdd8020015. [PMID: 33572147 PMCID: PMC7914448 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8020015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper development and function of the vertebrate heart is vital for embryonic and postnatal life. Many congenital heart defects in humans are associated with disruption of genes that direct the formation or maintenance of atrial and pacemaker cardiomyocytes at the venous pole of the heart. Zebrafish are an outstanding model for studying vertebrate cardiogenesis, due to the conservation of molecular mechanisms underlying early heart development, external development, and ease of genetic manipulation. Here, we discuss early developmental mechanisms that instruct appropriate formation of the venous pole in zebrafish embryos. We primarily focus on signals that determine atrial chamber size and the specialized pacemaker cells of the sinoatrial node through directing proper specification and differentiation, as well as contemporary insights into the plasticity and maintenance of cardiomyocyte identity in embryonic zebrafish hearts. Finally, we integrate how these insights into zebrafish cardiogenesis can serve as models for human atrial defects and arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall E. Martin
- Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Joshua S. Waxman
- Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division and Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Correspondence:
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28
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Clark EM, Link BA. Complementary and divergent functions of zebrafish Tango1 and Ctage5 in tissue development and homeostasis. Mol Biol Cell 2021; 32:391-401. [PMID: 33439675 PMCID: PMC8098853 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-11-0745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Coat protein complex II (COPII) factors mediate cargo export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but bulky collagens and lipoproteins are too large for traditional COPII vesicles. Mammalian CTAGE5 and TANGO1 have been well characterized individually as specialized cargo receptors at the ER that function with COPII coats to facilitate trafficking of bulky cargoes. Here, we present a genetic interaction study in zebrafish of deletions in ctage5, tango1, or both to investigate their distinct and complementary potential functions. We found that Ctage5 and Tango1 have different roles related to organogenesis, collagen versus lipoprotein trafficking, stress-pathway activation, and survival. While disruption of both ctage5 and tango1 compounded phenotype severity, mutation of either factor alone revealed novel tissue-specific defects in the building of heart, muscle, lens, and intestine, in addition to previously described roles in the development of neural and cartilage tissues. Together, our results demonstrate that Ctage5 and Tango1 have overlapping functions, but also suggest divergent roles in tissue development and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Clark
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226
| | - Brian A Link
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226
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29
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Waylen LN, Nim HT, Martelotto LG, Ramialison M. From whole-mount to single-cell spatial assessment of gene expression in 3D. Commun Biol 2020; 3:602. [PMID: 33097816 PMCID: PMC7584572 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01341-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Unravelling spatio-temporal patterns of gene expression is crucial to understanding core biological principles from embryogenesis to disease. Here we review emerging technologies, providing automated, high-throughput, spatially resolved quantitative gene expression data. Novel techniques expand on current benchmark protocols, expediting their incorporation into ongoing research. These approaches digitally reconstruct patterns of embryonic expression in three dimensions, and have successfully identified novel domains of expression, cell types, and tissue features. Such technologies pave the way for unbiased and exhaustive recapitulation of gene expression levels in spatial and quantitative terms, promoting understanding of the molecular origin of developmental defects, and improving medical diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa N Waylen
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and Systems Biology Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Hieu T Nim
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and Systems Biology Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Transcriptomics and Bioinformatics Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Luciano G Martelotto
- Single Cell Core Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Department of System Biology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mirana Ramialison
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute and Systems Biology Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
- Transcriptomics and Bioinformatics Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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30
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Wang Y, Ma S, Ruzzo WL. Spatial modeling of prostate cancer metabolic gene expression reveals extensive heterogeneity and selective vulnerabilities. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3490. [PMID: 32103057 PMCID: PMC7044328 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60384-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial heterogeneity is a fundamental feature of the tumor microenvironment (TME), and tackling spatial heterogeneity in neoplastic metabolic aberrations is critical for tumor treatment. Genome-scale metabolic network models have been used successfully to simulate cancer metabolic networks. However, most models use bulk gene expression data of entire tumor biopsies, ignoring spatial heterogeneity in the TME. To account for spatial heterogeneity, we performed spatially-resolved metabolic network modeling of the prostate cancer microenvironment. We discovered novel malignant-cell-specific metabolic vulnerabilities targetable by small molecule compounds. We predicted that inhibiting the fatty acid desaturase SCD1 may selectively kill cancer cells based on our discovery of spatial separation of fatty acid synthesis and desaturation. We also uncovered higher prostaglandin metabolic gene expression in the tumor, relative to the surrounding tissue. Therefore, we predicted that inhibiting the prostaglandin transporter SLCO2A1 may selectively kill cancer cells. Importantly, SCD1 and SLCO2A1 have been previously shown to be potently and selectively inhibited by compounds such as CAY10566 and suramin, respectively. We also uncovered cancer-selective metabolic liabilities in central carbon, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. Our novel cancer-specific predictions provide new opportunities to develop selective drug targets for prostate cancer and other cancers where spatial transcriptomics datasets are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Wang
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Shuyi Ma
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Walter L Ruzzo
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
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31
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32
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Giardoglou P, Beis D. On Zebrafish Disease Models and Matters of the Heart. Biomedicines 2019; 7:E15. [PMID: 30823496 PMCID: PMC6466020 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the primary cause of mortality worldwide. It is a complex disease with genetic and environmental risk factor contributions. Reports in human and mammalian models elucidate age-associated changes in cardiac function. The diverse mechanisms involved in cardiac diseases remain at the center of the research interest to identify novel strategies for prevention and therapy. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a valuable vertebrate model to study cardiovascular development over the last few decades. The facile genetic manipulation via forward and reverse genetic approaches combined with noninvasive, high-resolution imaging and phenotype-based screening has provided new insights to molecular pathways that orchestrate cardiac development. Zebrafish can recapitulate human cardiac pathophysiology due to gene and regulatory pathways conservation, similar heart rate and cardiac morphology and function. Thus, generations of zebrafish models utilize the functional analysis of genes involved in CAD, which are derived from large-scale human population analysis. Here, we highlight recent studies conducted on cardiovascular research focusing on the benefits of the combination of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with functional genomic analysis in zebrafish. We further summarize the knowledge obtained from zebrafish studies that have demonstrated the architecture of the fundamental mechanisms underlying heart development, homeostasis and regeneration at the cellular and molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Giardoglou
- Zebrafish Disease Models Lab, Center for Clinical Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.
- School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17676 Athens, Greece.
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Zebrafish Disease Models Lab, Center for Clinical Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.
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33
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van Opbergen CJ, van der Voorn SM, Vos MA, de Boer TP, van Veen TA. Cardiac Ca2+ signalling in zebrafish: Translation of findings to man. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 138:45-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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34
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van Opbergen CJ, Koopman CD, Kok BJ, Knöpfel T, Renninger SL, Orger MB, Vos MA, van Veen TA, Bakkers J, de Boer TP. Optogenetic sensors in the zebrafish heart: a novel in vivo electrophysiological tool to study cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Theranostics 2018; 8:4750-4764. [PMID: 30279735 PMCID: PMC6160779 DOI: 10.7150/thno.26108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac arrhythmias are among the most challenging human disorders to diagnose and treat due to their complex underlying pathophysiology. Suitable experimental animal models are needed to study the mechanisms causative for cardiac arrhythmogenesis. To enable in vivo analysis of cardiac cellular electrophysiology with a high spatial and temporal resolution, we generated and carefully validated two zebrafish models, one expressing an optogenetic voltage indicator (chimeric VSFP-butterfly CY) and the other a genetically encoded calcium indicator (GCaMP6f) in the heart. Methods: High-speed epifluorescence microscopy was used to image chimeric VSFP-butterfly CY and GCaMP6f in the embryonic zebrafish heart, providing information about the spatiotemporal patterning of electrical activation, action potential configuration and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Plotting VSFP or GCaMP6f signals on a line along the myocardial wall over time facilitated the visualization and analysis of electrical impulse propagation throughout the heart. Administration of drugs targeting the sympathetic nervous system or cardiac ion channels was used to validate sensitivity and kinetics of both zebrafish sensor lines. Using the same microscope setup, we imaged transparent juvenile casper fish expressing GCaMP6f, demonstrating the feasibility of imaging cardiac optogenetic sensors at later stages of development. Results: Isoproterenol slightly increased heart rate, diastolic Ca2+ levels and Ca2+ transient amplitudes, whereas propranolol caused a profound decrease in heart rate and Ca2+ transient parameters in VSFP-Butterfly and GCaMP6f embryonic fish. Ikr blocker E-4031 decreased heart rate and increased action potential duration in VSFP-Butterfly fish. ICa,L blocker nifedipine caused total blockade of Ca2+ transients in GCaMP6f fish and a reduced heart rate, altered ventricular action potential duration and disrupted atrial-ventricular electrical conduction in VSFP-Butterfly fish. Imaging of juvenile animals demonstrated the possibility of employing an older zebrafish model for in vivo cardiac electrophysiology studies. We observed differences in atrial and ventricular Ca2+ recovery dynamics between 3 dpf and 14 dpf casper fish, but not in Ca2+ upstroke dynamics. Conclusion: By introducing the optogenetic sensors chimeric VSFP-butterfly CY and GCaMP6f into the zebrafish we successfully generated an in vivo cellular electrophysiological readout tool for the zebrafish heart. Complementary use of both sensor lines demonstrated the ability to study heart rate, cardiac action potential configuration, spatiotemporal patterning of electrical activation and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in embryonic zebrafish. In addition, we demonstrated the first successful use of an optogenetic sensor to study cardiac function in older zebrafish. These models present a promising new research tool to study the underlying mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmogenesis.
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Pawlak M, Niescierowicz K, Winata CL. Decoding the Heart through Next Generation Sequencing Approaches. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E289. [PMID: 29880785 PMCID: PMC6027153 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
: Vertebrate organs develop through a complex process which involves interaction between multiple signaling pathways at the molecular, cell, and tissue levels. Heart development is an example of such complex process which, when disrupted, results in congenital heart disease (CHD). This complexity necessitates a holistic approach which allows the visualization of genome-wide interaction networks, as opposed to assessment of limited subsets of factors. Genomics offers a powerful solution to address the problem of biological complexity by enabling the observation of molecular processes at a genome-wide scale. The emergence of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology has facilitated the expansion of genomics, increasing its output capacity and applicability in various biological disciplines. The application of NGS in various aspects of heart biology has resulted in new discoveries, generating novel insights into this field of study. Here we review the contributions of NGS technology into the understanding of heart development and its disruption reflected in CHD and discuss how emerging NGS based methodologies can contribute to the further understanding of heart repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pawlak
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Cecilia Lanny Winata
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland.
- Max-Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany.
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