Transcriptional regulation during development of the ductus arteriosus.

ABSTRACT: The ductus arteriosus is a specialized blood vessel containing highly differentiated and contractile vascular smooth muscle, derived largely from neural crest cells, that is essential for fetal life but typically closes after birth. Impaired development of the ductus arteriosus or disruption of signaling pathways that initiate postnatal closure can result in persistent patency of the ductus arteriosus, the third most common congenital heart defect. We found that Tfap2beta, a transcription factor associated with patent ductus arteriosus in humans, was uniquely expressed in mouse ductal smooth muscle. Endothelin-1 and the hypoxia-induced transcription factor, Hif2alpha were also highly enriched in ductal smooth muscle at embryonic day 13.5 and were dependent on Tfap2beta for their expression

SUBMITTER: Ivey KN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2645272 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature