Murine pulmonary myocardium: developmental analysis of cardiac gene expression.
Long-standing observations that cardiac muscle exists in the walls of the pulmonary and caval veins have recently been confirmed at the molecular level (Lyons et al. [1990] J. Cell Biol. 111:2427-2436; Springall et al. [1988] Thorax 43:44-52; Subramaniam et al. [1991] J. Biol. Chem. 266:24613-24620). Using ventricle- and atrial-specific riboprobes, we determined that the pulmonary myocardium exhibits an atrial pattern of cardiac-specific gene expression. Additionally, the developmental pattern of expression was studied using a riboprobe specific to the alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain (alpha-MHC) gene transcript. We find that alpha-MHC gene expression is first detectable in the lung between 13.9-14.3 days post-coitum. Extension of the alpha-MHC specific hybridization signal into the pulmonary venous bed progresses through the neonatal period. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the extension of alpha-MHC gene expression into the lung occurs via the migration of atrial myoblasts into the vein during atrial septation and remodeling of the sinus venosus and pulmonary venous trunk.
Jones
W K
WK
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039.
Sánchez
A
A
Robbins
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005812:Genes, Switch; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000737:chemistry; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000737:chemistry; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D009218:Myosins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D009218:Myosins