title: Loss of PNA staining in mouse aortico-pulmonary septum is associated with mesenchymal cell apoptosis.
abstract: Massive apoptosis of mesenchymal cells in the septum of the aortico-pulmonary trunk was found in mouse fetuses at stage 14.5dpc. It was associated with the appearance of cavities in the mesenchymal tissue, presumably due to cell loss, a strong reduction in the extent of lectin PNA staining, and the induction of metallothioneins in specialized mesenchymal cells. Cell loss was spatially restricted to an inner area of the septum and was due to a distinct apoptotic pattern of cells, different from that in the heart wall. These events led to a rapid reduction of the aortico-pulmonary septum as occurs during the late stages of heart morphogenesis. It coincided with the migration of other cell types that invaded the cell-depleted septum, and contributed to the histiogenesis of the mature heart.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, University of Catania, via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rappazzo
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mauceri
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sinatra
authors.forename: Santa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maugeri
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sammartano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D019887:Peanut Agglutinin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D019887:Peanut Agglutinin; D008668:Metallothionein