Focal adhesion kinase is required for neural crest cell morphogenesis during mouse cardiovascular development.

ABSTRACT: Neural crest cells (NCCs) participate in the remodeling of the cardiac outflow tract and pharyngeal arch arteries during cardiovascular development. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mediates signal transduction by integrin and growth factor receptors, each of which is important for normal cardiovascular development. To investigate the role of FAK in NCC morphogenesis, we deleted it in murine NCCs using Wnt1cre, yielding craniofacial and cardiovascular malformations resembling those observed in individuals with DiGeorge syndrome. In these mice, we observed normal cardiac NCC migration but reduced differentiation into smooth muscle within the aortic arch arteries and impaired cardiac outflow tract rotation, which resulted in a dextroposed aortic root. Moreover, within the conotruncal cushions, Fa

SUBMITTER: Vallejo-Illarramendi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2719938 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature