Cadherin-11 expression patterns in heart valves associate with key functions during embryonic cushion formation, valve maturation and calcification.

ABSTRACT: Proper fibroblast cell migration and differentiation are critical for valve formation and homeostasis, but uncontrolled myofibroblastic activation may precede osteogenic differentiation and calcification. Cadherin-11 (cad-11) is a cell-cell adhesion protein classically expressed at mesenchymal-osteoblast interfaces that participates in mesenchymal differentiation to osteochondral lineages. This suggests cad-11 may have an important role in heart valve development and pathogenesis, but its expression patterns in valves are largely unknown. In this study, we profiled the spatial and temporal expression patterns of cad-11 in embryonic chick and mouse heart development. We determined that cad-11 is expressed in both endocardial and mesenchymal cells of the atrioventricular and outflow tract cu

SUBMITTER: Zhou J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3970173 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature