title: Patterning the heart, a template for human cardiomyocyte development.
abstract: Although in mice, the dynamics of gene expression during heart development is well characterized, information on humans is scarce due to the limited availability of material. Here, we analyzed the transcriptional distribution of Mlc-2a, Mlc-1v, Mlc-2v, and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in human embryonic hearts between 7 and 18 weeks of gestation and in healthy and hypertrophic adult hearts by in situ hybridization and compared expression with that in mice. Strikingly, Mlc-2a, Mlc-1v, and ANF, which are essentially chamber-restricted in mice by mid-gestation, showed a broader distribution in humans. On the other hand, Mlc-2v may prove to be an adequate ventricular marker in humans in contrast to mouse. This study emphasizes the importance of careful comparative human-animal analyses during embryonic development and adulthood, as avoiding erroneous extrapolations may be critical to develop new and successful myocardial replacement therapies.
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Laboratory, Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susana M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chuva de Sousa Lopes
authors.forename: Rutger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hassink
authors.forename: Alie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feijen
authors.forename: Marga A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Rooijen
authors.forename: Pieter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Doevendans
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tertoolen
authors.forename: Aart
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brutel de la Rivière
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mummery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018994:Myosin Light Chains / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018994:Myosin Light Chains; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor