HCN4 dynamically marks the first heart field and conduction system precursors.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

To date, there has been no specific marker of the first heart field to facilitate understanding of contributions of the first heart field to cardiac lineages. Cardiac arrhythmia is a leading cause of death, often resulting from abnormalities in the cardiac conduction system (CCS). Understanding origins and identifying markers of CCS lineages are essential steps toward modeling diseases of the CCS and for development of biological pacemakers.

Objective

To investigate HCN4 as a marker for the first heart field and for precursors of distinct components of the CCS, and to gain insight into contributions of first and second heart lineages to the CCS.

Methods and results

HCN4CreERT2, -nuclear LacZ, and -H2BGFP mouse lines were generated. HCN4 expression was examin

SUBMITTER: Liang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4017870 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature