title: Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in chick embryo myocardiocytes: relation with desmin expression during cardiac development.
abstract: The epidermal growth factor receptor is related with processes of cell replication and differentiation. We used the intermediate filament protein desmin as a marker to study the relation between muscle cell differentiation and modifications in the expression of this receptor during heart development in the chick embryo. Epidermal growth factor receptor was expressed as early as Hamburger and Hamilton's stage 17, when myocardiocytes are still poorly differentiated and desmin-negative. Expression became steadily weaker as the heart matured, and decreased after Hamburger and Hamilton's stage 25, a key stage in heart maturation characterized by a sharp increase in desmin expression. Our findings suggest that in the chick embryo, the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor becomes steadily weaker as myocardiocyte differentiation progresses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Science, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gámiz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melguizo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prados
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aránega
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D003893:Desmin; D066246:ErbB Receptors