title: Pharyngeal mesoderm development during embryogenesis: implications for both heart and head myogenesis.
abstract: The pharyngeal mesoderm (PM), located in the head region of the developing embryo, recently triggered renewed interest as the major source of cells contributing to broad regions of the heart as well as to the head musculature. What exactly is PM? In this review, we describe the anatomical and molecular characteristics of this mesodermal population and its relationship to the first and second heart fields in chick and mouse embryos. The regulatory network of transcription factors and signalling molecules that regulate PM development is also discussed. In addition, we summarize recent studies into the evolutionary origins of this tissue and its multipotential contributions to both cardiac and pharyngeal muscle progenitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. eldad.tzahor@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Eldad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tzahor
authors.forename: Sylvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002642:Chick Embryo; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006257:Head; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000235:genetics; D032448:Myoblasts, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors