Abstract
Mesothelia in the adult vertebrate are the simple squamous epithelia covering all coelomic organs and body cavities. Until recently, analysis of the generation and differentiative potential of mesothelia in organogenesis has largely focused on development of visceral mesothelium of the heart; the epicardium and its progenitor, the proepicardium. Here, we review emerging data on the development and differentiation of serosal mesothelium, the covering of the gastrointestinal tract. This literature demonstrates that serosal mesothelium is generated through a completely different mechanism than that seen in the heart suggesting that commitment of progenitors to this cell lineage does not follow a common pathway. The differentiative potential of serosal mesothelium is also discussed in comparison to that observed for progeny of the proepicardium/epicardium. In our review of the literature, we point out gaps in our understanding of serosal mesothelial development and that of mesothelial development as a whole.
Highlights
Mesothelia in the adult vertebrate are the simple squamous epithelia covering all coelomic organs and body cavities
We will provide an overview of proepicardium/epicardium differentiation to serve as the departure point for the current discussion of mesothelial differentiation in the gut tube and its associated glands
Murine and avian cardiac structure is similar to the human configuration though notably in the mouse the coronary arteries are embedded within the myocardium near the subepicardial space while the veins reside in the epicardium [23]
Summary
Mesothelia are simple squamous epithelia that line coelomic cavities and organs and form the mesenteries. 2013, 1 walls in these subdivisions are referred to as parietal mesothelia while visceral mesothelia cover the organs. Visceral mesothelium covering the heart is referred to as the epicardium while pleural mesothelium covers lungs. Serosal mesothelium, which is the focus of this review, covers the organs of the alimentary canal within the abdominal cavity/coelom (Figure 1). We describe the histology of adult mesothelium and give a brief overview of heart and intestinal structure. This is followed by a discussion of similarities and differences in basic developmental programs of the two organs as a guidepost for understanding the roles of mesothelia in organ development and function. We will provide an overview of proepicardium/epicardium differentiation to serve as the departure point for the current discussion of mesothelial differentiation in the gut tube and its associated glands
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