Vascular endothelial and endocardial progenitors differentiate as cardiomyocytes in the absence of Etsrp/Etv2 function.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have suggested that embryonic vascular endothelial, endocardial and myocardial lineages originate from multipotential cardiovascular progenitors. However, their existence in vivo has been debated and molecular mechanisms that regulate specification of different cardiovascular lineages are poorly understood. An ETS domain transcription factor Etv2/Etsrp/ER71 has been recently established as a crucial regulator of vascular endothelial differentiation in zebrafish and mouse embryos. In this study, we show that etsrp-expressing vascular endothelial/endocardial progenitors differentiate as cardiomyocytes in the absence of Etsrp function during zebrafish embryonic development. Expression of multiple endocardial specific markers is absent or greatly reduced in Etsrp knockdown or

SUBMITTER: Palencia-Desai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3190385 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature