title: Histochemical and ultrastructural changes in the extracellular matrix of the developing chick semilunar heart valves.
abstract: The present study analyzes the composition and organization of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and its changes in the course of development of the chick embryo semilunar heart valves. In the present work we have employed chick embryos from stage 29 until hatching, using silver and picrosirius red staining, lectin probes and light and transmission electron microscopy. Our results show that during semilunar valve development a series of elements arise and are organized in the ECM which seem to be more closely related to the maintenance of the structural and biomechanical properties of the valvular leaflets than with morphogenetic processes per se.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, España.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garcia-Martinez
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Quintana
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hurle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001391:Azo Compounds; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D037102:Lectins; D009439:Neuraminidase; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D010851:Picrates; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011664:Pulmonary Valve / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016622:Silver Staining; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D037102:Lectins; D009439:Neuraminidase; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D010851:Picrates; D037121:Plant Lectins; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; C028824:soybean lectin; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C009798:C.I. direct red 80