BMPER regulates cardiomyocyte size and vessel density in vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

BMPER, an orthologue of Drosophila melanogaster Crossveinless-2, is a secreted factor that regulates bone morphogenetic protein activity in endothelial cell precursors and during early cardiomyocyte differentiation. Although previously described in the heart, the role of BMPER in cardiac development and function remain unknown.

Methods

BMPER-deficient hearts were phenotyped histologically and functionally using echocardiography and Doppler analysis. Since BMPER -/- mice die perinatally, adult BMPER +/- mice were challenged to pressure-overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and hindlimb ischemia to determine changes in angiogenesis and regulation of cardiomyocyte size.

Results

We identify for the first time the cardiac phenotype associated with BMPER haploinsu

SUBMITTER: Willis MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5027882 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature