title: Biological Systems and Methods for Studying WT1 in the Epicardium.
abstract: The embryonic epicardium is an important source of cardiovascular precursor cells and paracrine factors required for adequate heart formation. During embryonic heart formation, WT1 is mainly expressed in epicardial cells and epicardial derived cells. Its expression has been used to trace epicardial derivatives in embryos and recently it has been used to follow the reactivation of epicardial cells after myocardial infarction. Interestingly, the highest level of expression of WT1 during epicardium development correlates with the highest proliferative state, stem cell properties, and migratory capacity of epicardial cells. Here, we review the various types of tools and strategies used to study WT1 function in the embryonic epicardium and provide examples of their use.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.|CELLTEC-UB, Cellular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Velecela
authors.affiliation: CELLTEC-UB, Cellular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.
authors.forename: Janat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fazal-Salom
authors.affiliation: CELLTEC-UB, Cellular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain. ofeliamartinez@ub.edu.
authors.forename: Ofelia M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Martínez-Estrada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice; D010496:Pericardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods*; D025721:WT1 Proteins
chemical_list: D012097:Repressor Proteins; D025721:WT1 Proteins; C000602896:WT1 protein, mouse
keywords: Cell culture; Development; Epicardium; In vivo FACS analysis; Migration assay; Quantitative PCR; Transwell assay; Wt1