title: Genetic basis of cardiomyopathy.
abstract: The molecular basis of cardiac growth and development is a fundamental question that has intrigued many investigators in cardiovascular research. Adult cardiomyocytes are terminally differentiated and lose their ability to proliferate shortly after birth; however, in response to injury, myocytes have the capacity to synthesize new DNA and exhibit plasticity by a compensatory growth response, as is shown by re-expression of the fetal isoforms of many muscle-specific genes, which is characteristic of the proliferative response. The long-term effects of these compensatory responses may lead to the development and progression of diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy, because of a single point mutation. This concept has engaged scientists to investigate human models to explore the molecular basis of hypertrophy or dilation of the myocardium.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. jdurand@bcn.tmc.edu
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Durand
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins