Reassessment of Isl1 and Nkx2-5 cardiac fate maps using a Gata4-based reporter of Cre activity.

ABSTRACT: Isl1 and Nkx2-5-expressing cardiovascular progenitors play pivotal roles in cardiogenesis. Previously reported Cre-based fate-mapping studies showed that Isl1 progenitors contribute predominantly to the derivatives of the second heart field, and Nkx2-5 progenitors contributed mainly to the cardiomyocyte lineage. However, partial recombination of Cre reporter genes can complicate interpretation of Cre fate-mapping experiments. We found that a Gata4-based Cre-activated reporter was recombined by Isl1(Cre) and Nkx2-5(Cre) in a substantially broader domain than previously reported using standard Cre-activated reporters. The expanded Isl1 and Nkx2-5 cardiac fate maps were remarkably similar, and included extensive contributions to cardiomyocyte, endocardial, and smooth muscle lineages in all fo

SUBMITTER: Ma Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2655699 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature