title: Expression and function of Ccbe1 in the chick early cardiogenic regions are required for correct heart development.
abstract: During the course of a differential screen to identify transcripts specific for chick heart/hemangioblast precursor cells, we have identified Ccbe1 (Collagen and calcium-binding EGF-like domain 1). While the importance of Ccbe1 for the development of the lymphatic system is now well demonstrated, its role in cardiac formation remained unknown. Here we show by whole-mount in situ hybridization analysis that cCcbe1 mRNA is initially detected in early cardiac progenitors of the two bilateral cardiogenic fields (HH4), and at later stages on the second heart field (HH9-18). Furthermore, cCcbe1 is expressed in multipotent and highly proliferative cardiac progenitors. We characterized the role of cCcbe1 during early cardiogenesis by performing functional studies. Upon morpholino-induced cCcbe1 knockdown, the chick embryos displayed heart malformations, which include aberrant fusion of the heart fields, leading to incomplete terminal differentiation of the cardiomyocytes. cCcbe1 overexpression also resulted in severe heart defects, including cardia bifida. Altogether, our data demonstrate that although cardiac progenitors cells are specified in cCcbe1 morphants, the migration and proliferation of cardiac precursors cells are impaired, suggesting that cCcbe1 is a key gene during early heart development.
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Program, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Biomedicina Molecular. e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-135 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Program, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Biomedicina Molecular. e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-135 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bento
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Program, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Biomedicina Molecular. e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-135 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Program, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Biomedicina Molecular. e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-135 Faro, Portugal; CEDOC, NOVA Medical School/Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Inácio
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Program, Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal; IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Biomedicina Molecular. e Estrutural, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-135 Faro, Portugal; CEDOC, NOVA Medical School/Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: José António
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Belo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins