A molecular view of cardiogenesis.
Cardiac development involves a complex integration of subcellular processes into multicellular and, finally, whole organ effects. Until recently it has been difficult to investigate the genetic control of this organ level differentiation of the heart. The proliferation of molecular biology methodologies has provided mechanisms to directly investigate the control of these processes. This article focuses on molecular lines of research on two key areas in cardiac development: the regulation of expression of sarcomeric contractile and regulatory proteins, and atrial natriuretic factor. Molecular approaches are described which have allowed investigators to begin to determine the tissue and stage-specific expression of genes, to locate those genes in the genome, determine their sequences, and to directly investigate the mechanisms controlling their expression.
Sweeney
L J
LJ
Department of Anatomy, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois 60153.
D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003285:Contractile Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D015342:DNA Probes; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics
D003285:Contractile Proteins; D015342:DNA Probes; D012313:RNA; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D004247:DNA