Vangl2-regulated polarisation of second heart field-derived cells is required for outflow tract lengthening during cardiac development.

ABSTRACT: Planar cell polarity (PCP) is the mechanism by which cells orient themselves in the plane of an epithelium or during directed cell migration, and is regulated by a highly conserved signalling pathway. Mutations in the PCP gene Vangl2, as well as in other key components of the pathway, cause a spectrum of cardiac outflow tract defects. However, it is unclear why cells within the mesodermal heart tissue require PCP signalling. Using a new conditionally floxed allele we show that Vangl2 is required solely within the second heart field (SHF) to direct normal outflow tract lengthening, a process that is required for septation and normal alignment of the aorta and pulmonary trunk with the ventricular chambers. Analysis of a range of markers of polarised epithelial tissues showed that in the norm

SUBMITTER: Ramsbottom SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4270488 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature