Project description:During heart regeneration in the zebrafish, fibrotic tissue is replaced by newly formed cardiomyocytes derived from pre-existing ones. It is unclear whether the heart is comprised of several cardiomyocyte populations bearing different capacity to replace lost myocardium. Here, using sox10 genetic fate mapping, we identified a subset of pre-existent cardiomyocytes in the adult zebrafish heart with a distinct gene expression profile that expanded massively after cryoinjury. Genetic ablation of sox10+ cardiomyocytes severely impaired cardiac regeneration revealing that they play a crucial role for heart regeneration.
Project description:All vertebrates have multiple genes encoding for different CASQ isoforms. Increasing interest has been focused on mammalian and human CASQ genes since mutations of both cardiac (CASQ2) and skeletal (CASQ1) isoforms cause different, and sometime severe, human pathologies Danio rerio (zebrafish) is a powerful model for studying function and mutations of human proteins. In this work expression, biochemical properties and cellular and sub-cellular localization of Danio rerio native CASQ isoforms are investigated. By quantitative PCR three mRNAs were detected in skeletal muscle and one mRNA in heart. Three zebrafish CASQs were identified by mass spectrometry and they share properties with mammalian skeletal and cardiac CASQs. Skeletal calsequestrins were found primarily, but not exclusively, at the sarcomere Z-line level where Terminal Cisternae of Sarcoplasmic reticulum are located.
Project description:Myocardial damage caused for example by cardiac ischemia leads to ventricular volume overload resulting in increased stretch of the remaining myocardium. In adult mammals, these changes trigger an adaptive cardiomyocyte hypertrophic response which, if the damage is extensive, will ultimately lead to pathological hypertrophy and heart failure. Conversely, in response to extensive myocardial damage, cardiomyocytes in the adult zebrafish heart and neonatal mice proliferate and completely regenerate the damaged myocardium. We therefore hypothesized that in adult zebrafish, changes in mechanical loading due to myocardial damage may act as a trigger to induce cardiac regeneration. Based, on this notion we sought to identify mechanosensors which could be involved in detecting changes in mechanical loading and triggering regeneration. Here we show using a combination of knockout animals, RNAseq and in vitro assays that the mechanosensitive ion channel Trpc6a is required by cardiomyocytes for successful cardiac regeneration in adult zebrafish. Furthermore, using a cyclic cell stretch assay, we have determined that Trpc6a induces the expression of components of the AP1 transcription complex in response to mechanical stretch. Our data highlights how changes in mechanical forces due to myocardial damage can be detected by mechanosensors which in turn can trigger cardiac regeneration.