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Dependence of cardiac trabeculation on neuregulin signaling and blood flow in zebrafish
Author(s) -
Peshkovsky Courtney,
Totong Ronald,
Yelon Deborah
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.22526
Subject(s) - zebrafish , biology , neuregulin 1 , ventricle , blood flow , anatomy , neuregulin , microbiology and biotechnology , heart development , medicine , embryonic stem cell , signal transduction , gene , genetics
Maturation of the developing heart requires the structural elaboration of the embryonic ventricle through the process of trabeculation. Trabeculae form as the ventricular myocardium protrudes into the lumen of the chamber, thereby increasing muscle mass and altering functional output. Little is understood about the cellular basis for trabeculation and its genetic regulation. Here, we establish the utility of the zebrafish embryo for the analysis of the mechanisms driving trabeculation. In zebrafish, we can follow trabeculation in four dimensions and define morphologically discrete stages for the initiation, propagation, and network elaboration that form the ventricular trabeculae. We find that Neuregulin/ErbB signaling is required for the initial protrusion of the myocardium into the ventricular lumen. Additionally, we demonstrate that optimal blood flow through the ventricle is important for the advancement of trabeculation. Thus, our results indicate that the zebrafish provides a valuable model for investigating possible causes of congenital defects in trabeculation. Developmental Dynamics 240:446–456, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.