Coronary Vasculature in Cardiac Development and Regeneration.

Subir Kapuria,Tyler Yoshida,Ching-Ling Lien

doi:10.3390/jcdd5040059

Abstract

Functional coronary circulation is essential for a healthy heart in warm-blooded vertebrates, and coronary diseases can have a fatal consequence. Despite the growing interest, the knowledge about the coronary vessel development and the roles of new coronary vessel formation during heart regeneration is still limited. It is demonstrated that early revascularization is required for efficient heart regeneration. In this comprehensive review, we first describe the coronary vessel formation from an evolutionary perspective. We further discuss the cell origins of coronary endothelial cells and perivascular cells and summarize the critical signaling pathways regulating coronary vessel development. Lastly, we focus on the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms regulating heart regeneration in zebrafish, a genetically tractable vertebrate model with a regenerative adult heart and well-developed coronary system.

Highlights

The heart pumps blood relentlessly during an animal’s lifespan and is critical for survival
By using in vitro culture of the quail epicardial cells and the chick-quail chimera study, it was shown that the epicardial cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) generating subepicardial mesenchymal cells, which further differentiate into coronary smooth muscle, perivascular fibroblast and intramyocardial fibroblast [78]
By treating Tg(kdrl:EGFP) zebrafish with diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a dual oxidase (Duox)/Nox enzyme inhibitor and BCI, an inhibitor of dual-specificity MAPK phosphatase 6 (Dusp6) phosphatase activity, it was shown that H2O2 and Dusp6 regulate coronary vessel growth in the injured area

Summary

Introduction

The heart pumps blood relentlessly during an animal’s lifespan and is critical for survival. Such functional load demands a continuous supply of nutrients and oxygen in heart muscle cells, cardiomyocytes. We will summarize the cell types and signaling pathways involved in coronary vessel development with a focus on non-mammalian models. We will compare these processes with revascularization during heart regeneration

Evolutionary Aspects of Coronary Vessels

Endothelial Cells

Mural Cells

Coronary Vasculature and Cardiac Regeneration

Findings

Conclusions and Future Perspectives