Population Of Myocytes Research Articles

GA‐binding protein is involved in altered expression of ribosomal protein L32 gene

Differentiation of BC3H1 myoblasts to myocytes is accompanied by a 67% drop in the rate of rpL32 gene transcription. Addition of high concentrations of serum to resting myocyte populations stimulates cell growth and subsequent dedifferentiation to proliferating myoblasts with a return to the normal rate of rpL32 gene transcription. During these growth rate changes the binding activities of previously identified factors (β, γ, δ) which interact with the rpL32 gene promoter were examined by mobility shift assays. Binding of the β factor (an Ets related protein) to an oligonucleotide containing the β element was reduced significantly in myocycle nuclear extracts, but subsequent dedifferentiation increased binding within 30 min in either the presence or absence of the cycloheximide. Binding of the γ and δ factors to their respective elements changed only slightly during these processes. Dephosphorylation of either myoblast or myocyte extracts resulted in increased binding of the β factor suggesting that binding activity of the β factor is modulated by phosphorylation during the changes in BC3H1 myoblasts growth rate. In addition, mobility shift assays with recombinant GABP α and β proteins and their specific antibodies revealed that GABP proteins bind to the rpL32 gene promoter in a sequence dependent manner, and that similar proteins are present in BC3H1 myoblast/myocyte extracts. These results support the premise that the GABP heterodimer is the rpL32 β factor. Furthermore, during BC3H1 myoblast differentiation and dedifferentiation neither the levels of the GABP α and β proteins nor their respective mRNAs change. These results suggest that GABP is a constitutively expressed protein and is involved in regulating rpL32 gene by post-transcriptional modifications. J. Cell. Biochem. 65:287–307. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

GA-binding protein is involved in altered expression of ribosomal protein L32 gene

Differentiation of BC3H1 myoblasts to myocytes is accompanied by a 67% drop in the rate of rpL32 gene transcription. Addition of high concentrations of serum to resting myocyte populations stimulates cell growth and subsequent dedifferentiation to proliferating myoblasts with a return to the normal rate of rpL32 gene transcription. During these growth rate changes the binding activities of previously identified factors (beta, gamma, delta) which interact with the rpL32 gene promoter were examined by mobility shift assays. Binding of the beta factor (an Ets related protein) to an oligonucleotide containing the beta element was reduced significantly in myocyte nuclear extracts, but subsequent dedifferentiation increased binding within 30 min in either the presence or absence of the cycloheximide. Binding of the gamma and delta factors to their respective elements changed only slightly during these processes. Dephosphorylation of either myoblast or myocyte extracts resulted in increased binding of the beta factor suggesting that binding activity of the beta factor is modulated by phosphorylation during the changes in BC3H1 myoblasts growth rate. In addition, mobility shift assays with recombinant GABP alpha and beta proteins and their specific antibodies revealed that GABP proteins bind to the rpL32 gene promoter in a sequence dependent manner, and that similar proteins are present in BC3H1 myoblast/myocyte extracts. These results support the premise that the GABP heterodimer is the rpL32 beta factor. Furthermore, during BC3H1 myoblast differentiation and dedifferentiation neither the levels of the GABP alpha and beta proteins nor their respective mRNAs change. These results suggest that GABP is a constitutively expressed protein and is involved in regulating rpL32 gene by post-transcriptional modifications.

Regional and age-related differences in mRNA composition of intracellular Ca(2+)-release channels of rat cardiac myocytes.

We investigated the mRNA distribution of three different ryanodine receptors (RyR) and of the intracellular Ca(2+)-release channel/inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) type 1 in the rat heart during development and aging. In situ hybridization analysis shows that RyR1 mRNA is never expressed in the heart at any of the stages examined: RyR2 mRNA is detectable in cardiomyocytes in the early embryonic stages, whereas RyR3 mRNA accumulates in cardiomyocytes around birth. IP3R mRNA appears at first in the primitive atrium at embryonic day 11 and in subsequent stages it is detectable also in a minor population of ventricular myocytes, which presumably correspond to conduction system precursors. In the adult heart, no apparent difference in hybridization signal intensity is observed between atrial and ventricular working myocytes either with RyR2, RyR3 or IP3R cRNA probes, except for myocytes of the heart conduction system, which differ from working myocytes in the intensity of the hybridization signals for each probe. Additional differences are detected in the senescent heart with the IP3R cRNA probe, which hybridizes with atrial myocytes stronger than with ventricular ones. RNase protection analysis confirms the temporal differences in RyR2 and RyR3 transcript accumulation observed during heart development and reveals a significant increase of IP3R mRNA in the atrial myocardium during aging. Thus, the composition of intracellular Ca(2+)-release channel mRNAs of the rat heart shows temporal and regional variations: such changes might reflect important differences in transcriptional regulation of these genes among myocytes.

Cyclic AMP levels in ventricular myocytes from noradrenaline-treated guinea-pigs

Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system in human heart failure is believed to cause cardiac β-adrenoceptor desensitisation. We have investigated the relationship between β-adrenoceptor desensitisation and cyclic AMP levels in cardiac myocytes isolated from the ventricle of guinea-pigs chronically infused with noradrenaline hydrochloride for 7 days. Functional β-adrenoceptor desensitisation was confirmed by a significant decrease in the maximum isoprenaline-stimulated contraction amplitude and an increased EC 50 for isoprenaline. In the absence of β-adrenoceptor stimulation, basal cyclic AMP levels were significantly depressed in populations of myocytes from noradrenaline-treated animals compared to sham-operated controls, and this was not accounted for by myocyte hypertrophy or necrosis. Similarly, there was a significant decrease in cyclic AMP levels at maximally inotropic isoprenaline concentrations. Threshold and maximum inotropic concentrations of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), restored isoprenaline-stimulated cyclic AMP levels in noradrenaline-treated guinea-pig cardiac myocytes, although we have previously reported no increase in maximum inotropic effect of isoprenaline with these compounds.

Activation of purinergic receptors triggers oscillatory contractions in adult rat ventricular myocytes.

Extracellular ATP is an important neurotransmitter that modulates cardiac function by activation of purinergic receptors. In this study, the effect of P2 purinergic receptor activation on contractions and on [Ca2+]i was investigated in adult rat ventricular myocytes. Fura 2 was used to measure [Ca2+]i, and video edge detection was used to measure contraction. Superfusion of 2-methylthio-adenosine-5'-triphosphate (2-M-S-ATP) over quiescent myocytes induced oscillations in contraction and in [Ca2+]i. The frequency of the oscillatory contractions increased with increasing concentrations of 2-M-S-ATP, but the amplitude of contractions varied from cell to cell and was independent of the concentration of 2-M-S-ATP. During electrical stimulation, activation of purinergic receptors in myocytes potentiated the amplitude of contraction and induced arrhythmias. In populations of quiescent myocytes, the plateau phase of the [Ca2+]i signal evoked by 2-M-S-ATP could be shown to represent summed oscillations in [Ca2+]i in individual cells. Pretreatment of quiescent myocytes with thapsigargin or caffeine reduced or abolished the oscillations in contractions and in [Ca2+]i triggered by 2-M-S-ATP, indicating a dependence of the oscillations on uptake and release of Ca2+ by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. These data demonstrate the novel phenomenon that activation of purinergic receptors in quiescent myocytes stimulates oscillations in [Ca2+]i and contraction. In electrically stimulated myocytes, activation of purinergic receptors triggers oscillatory contractions and potentiates the amplitude of electrically triggered contractions.

Cardiomyocyte Troponin T Immunoreactivity Is Modified by Cross-linking Resulting From Intracellular Calcium Overload

During myocardial ischemia, the increase in cytosolic Ca2+ promotes the activation of neutral proteases such as calpains. Since the troponin T subunit is a substrate for calpains, we investigated the effects of irreversible myocyte damage on troponin T immunoreactivity. Hearts from adult guinea pigs (n=32) were perfused under conditions of normoxia, ischemia, postischemic reperfusion, or Ca2+ paradox. Hearts were frozen and processed for immunohistochemistry and Western blot with three anti-troponin T monoclonal antibodies. Two of these antibodies are unreactive on cryosections of freshly isolated and normoxic hearts and of hearts exposed to 30 minutes of no-flow ischemia. In contrast, reactivity is detected in rare myocytes after 60 minutes of ischemia, in a large population of myocytes after 60 minutes of ischemia followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion, and in every myocyte exposed to Ca2+ paradox. In Western blots, samples from ischemia-reperfusion and Ca2+ overloaded hearts show reactive polypeptides of about 240 to 260 kD and 65 to 66 kD in addition to troponin T. A similar pattern of immunoreactivity is observed with an anti-troponin I antibody. Histochemical troponin T immunoreactivity and reactivity on high-molecular-weight polypeptides are detectable in normal heart samples after preincubation with 10 mmol/L Ca2+ or with transglutaminase, whereas they are not if either transglutaminase or calpain is inhibited. The evolution of the ischemic injury is accompanied by changes in troponin T immunoreactivity as a consequence of the calcium-dependent activation of both calpain proteolysis and transglutaminase cross-linking.

Selective regulation of the atrial natriuretic peptide gene by individual components of the activator protein-1 complex.

We used the human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) gene as a model to investigate the causal relationship between immediate early gene expression and the subsequent activation of the embryonic gene repertoire in cardiac hypertrophy. Using transient transfection analysis, we found that overexpression of individual Jun family members, alone or in combination, displayed unique activity that varied as a function of the promoter and the nature of the transfected myocyte populations under examination. In neonatal cardiac ventriculocytes, both c-jun and to a lesser extent, JunB stimulated hANP promoter activity (approximately 7- and 3- fold, respectively). When cotransfected together, a synergistic activation was observed (approximately 16-fold activation), a finding that stands in contrast to the behavior of JunB (i.e. neutral or inhibitory) with other 12-O- tetradeconoylphorbol 13-acetate response element-dependent promoters. In atriocytes, on the other hand, JunB did not itself activate the hANP promoter, and it antagonized c-jun- mediated transcription. JunD, a third member of this gene family, was devoid of activity in these transfected cultures. These findings suggest that the hANP gene promoter exhibits a broad range of responses to the individual products of the jun gene family. The response in any single situation is a function of the relative concentrations and subunit composition of the prevailing activator protein-1 complexes.

Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase Activity in Neonatal Rat Cardiac Myocytes in Culture: Citrate Dependence and Effects of Hypoxia

The presence of a 280,000Mrisoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC-280) in the cardiac myocyte suggests that heart muscle is capable of malonyl-CoA synthesis. Cellular factors which regulate activity of ACC-280 are unknown. We have employed a neonatal rat cardiac myocyte culture (where the majority of ACC is present as ACC-280) to examine the effects of hypoxia and decreased cellular ATP on the activity of ACC in the cells. The myocyte culture has the following advantages over similar studies in the intact rat heart: the presence of a pure population of myocytes and the ability to measure cytosolic ACC free from contamination by mitochondrial carboxylases. ACC activity in cultured cardiac myocytes is completely dependent on the presence of citrate (A0.5= 3.8 mM). Under control conditions, the cytosolic citrate concentrationin situis determined to be less than 1 mM. With 5 h of hypoxia, cytosolic ATP decreases from 9.85 ± 0.23 to 2.83 ± 0.25 mMand cytosolic AMP increases from undetectable levels to 40 ± 0.4 μM. With hypoxia, a significant portion of the total ACC activity is now expressed in the absence of citrate and the amount of activity which is stimulated by 10 mMcitrate is significantly less (1.268 ± 0.106 nmol/4 × 105cells) than is seen under control conditions (3.042 ± 0.048). There are no significant changes in the total amount of cellular protein on the plates after 5 h of hypoxia. Consistent with net ACC activation in hypoxia, malonyl-CoA levels increase in the cells by 7 h of hypoxia. Decreased radioactive phosphate content of immunopurified ACC-280 after 5 h of hypoxia is consistent with net dephosphorylation of ACC-280 and increased citrate-independent activity.

Electrophysiological properties of two distinct populations of myocytes isolated from the rabbit atrioventricular node

Two populations of atrioventricular nodal cells were isolated which exhibited distinct action potential configurations and restitution properties, as well as different profiles in the distribution and magnitude of their various ionic currents.

Abnormalities of the myocytes in ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

Acute myocardial ischemia and subsequent reperfusion result in biochemical and ionic changes in cardiac myocytes which cause contracture of the muscle and a reduced contractile force. Whether changes observed in single myocytes isolated from ischaemic ventricles are a direct consequence of the acute insult, or develop more slowly due to subsequent alterations in load and neurohumoural environment, is controversial. Myocytes from ischemic hearts have a similar contraction amplitude to those from non-failing hearts at physiological or maximally activating levels of ca2+. This could be partly due to the method of cell selection, or could represent the detection of a population of myocytes that have recovered from the original insult. However, there are significant decreases in the velocities of contraction and, particularly, relaxation in myocytes from the ischaemic heart. These resemble alterations caused by anoxia/reperfusion, but similar changes have also been observed in non-ischaemic causes of heart failure. Responses of beta-adrenoceptor stimulation are reduced in single cells from the failing heart, and a post-receptor defect has also been detected. Treatment with pertussis toxin, which reduces the activity of the inhibitory guanine-nucleotide binding protein (Gi) was able to restore beta-adrenoceptor responses to normal. The hypothesis that alterations in the beta-adrenoceptor/Gi/cAMP pathway represent the response of the myocyte to continued exposure to noradrenaline, because of the high sympathetic drive in these patients, is supported by the strong parallels observed with catecholamine-treated animals, and by the fact that non-ischemic aetiologies exhibit similar desensitization. It is concluded that the surviving myocytes in an ischaemic heart are damaged by the neurohumoral alterations that represent the body's attempt to restore cardiac output.

Diversification of Cardiomyogenic Cell Lineages During Early Heart Development

The vertebrate heart is composed of a limited number of well-characterized cell types and therefore is an excellent system in which to study lineage-determination events and organogenesis. The diversification of atrial and ventricular myogenic lineages is evident in the morphology, physiology, and molecular composition of the fully formed heart and is essential to the circulatory and endocrine functions of the heart. Recent work from our laboratory and others has examined the origins of the atrial and ventricular myocyte cell lineages from the earliest stages of development. These studies have addressed where these lineages arise in the early vertebrate embryo, when diversified cell lineages are first evident in the primitive heart, and what mechanisms result in the separation of these lineages. Much of the information regarding myocyte lineage diversification has been obtained by study of the early chicken embryo because of its accessibility and potential for embryological manipulation. Additional studies in the mouse, frog, and zebra fish have significantly advanced our knowledge of early vertebrate cardiogenesis. Taken together, these studies demonstrated that the separation of atrial and ventricular myogenic lineages occurs before heart chamber formation and that the determination of these lineages is primarily based on the anteroposterior polarity of the heart progenitors in the very early embryo. In the present communication, we review the origins of the lineages and molecular events involved in generating atrial and ventricular myocyte populations. The chicken has been used as a model system in which to study the organogenesis of the heart in vertebrates.1 Fate-mapping studies of the early chicken embryo have followed the origins of the cardiovascular system from the very earliest stages of embryogenesis and have determined that the cells that will become the heart are one of the first mesodermal cell types to emerge from the primitive streak (Figure⇓, …

ANP secretion from small cell lung cancer cell lines: a potential model of ANP release

Although atrial distension is widely accepted as the primary stimulus for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) release, a number of agonists are also known to induce its secretion. The mechanisms underlying these processes are not well understood. Studies of this nature are hampered by the inherent difficulty in culturing homogeneous populations of cardiac myocytes in sufficient quantities to perform molecular investigations. For this reason, we have examined the possibility of using other cell types as a model of ANP release. It has been reported that a number of tumor samples from small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients express the ANP gene. Characterization of a large number of cell lines derived from SCLC tumor samples indicated that two of these cell lines, OS-A and SHP-77, secrete ANP at rates of approximately 10(-20) g.cell-1.min-1. This is a sufficient quantity to facilitate secretion studies using a perifusion system. We have demonstrated that ANP is released through regulated secretory pathways, as the Ca2+ ionophore A-23187, arginine vasopressin (AVP), and the sodium ionophore, monensin, were capable of modifying secretion rates. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the primary secretory product is ANP-(99-126), the circulating form of this hormone. Intracellularly, both ANP-(99-126) and ANP-(1-126) were present, suggesting the synthesis and appropriate cleavage of pro-ANP-(1-126). Because both of these cell lines have doubling times in the range of 3-5 days, they could serve as a rapidly proliferating and easily maintainable supply of homogeneous tissue for release studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Endogenous antioxidants in isolated hypertrophied cardiac myocytes and hypoxia-reoxygenation injury

Effects of hypoxia-reoxygenation (H-R) on myocytes isolated from 10 week hypertrophied and sham control rat hearts were studied. Myocyte hypertrophy was indicated by an increase in cell size. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) enzyme activities were significantly higher and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) was lower in hypertrophied myocytes prior to any H-R. Hypertrophied myocyte population showed significantly less damage to cell morphology due to H-R. In sham as well as hypertrophied myocytes, Na+ and Ca2+ contents were increased by H-R, but Ca2+ accumulation was significantly less in the hypertrophied myocytes. Both SOD and GSHPx activities were depressed by the oxidative stress in the sham myocytes whereas these activities were not significantly changed in the hypertrophied myocytes. Catalase activity in the prehypoxic sham and hypertrophied myocytes was comparable and this activity did not change during H-R. There was a significant increase in lipid peroxidation due to H-R but this change was less in hypertrophied myocytes. This study shows less vulnerability of hypertrophied myocytes to oxidative stress and an increase in endogenous antioxidant reserve may have an important role in mediating this protection.

Subcellular calcium pools of ischaemic and reperfused myocardium characterised by electron probe

The subcellular redistribution of calcium and other electrolytes was analysed in myocardium subjected to global ischaemia and reperfusion in order to establish possible causes of reperfusion injury. Isolated ferret papillary muscles (maintained at 37 degrees C, 1.2 Hz stimulation) were exposed to ischaemic conditions for 1 h by isolating from room air, removing buffer, and exposing to a constant flow of water-saturated 95% N2/5% CO2 gas. Some muscles were "reperfused" for 5 min by exposing to control buffer. Electron probe microanalysis was used to measure subcellular electrolyte content. Ischaemia caused severe swelling and doubling of cell sodium [84(SEM 5) to 156(9) mmol.kg-1 dry weight (dw), P < 0.05]. Mitochondrial electrolyte concentrations were generally increased, most notably calcium [0.40(0.15) to 1.99(0.32) mmol.kg-1 dw, P < 0.05]. Electrolytes in other structures were more moderately affected. Reperfusion resulted in two general myocyte populations. Irreversibly injured cells exhibited contracture knots and an influx of extracellular fluid. Analysis was restricted to moderately injured cells, which had reduced swelling and varying numbers of vacuolated mitochondria. In the moderately injured cells, sodium remained high [167(11) mmol.kg-1 dw] and magnesium had increased from 39(2) to 52(2) mmol.kg-1 dw (P < 0.05). Mitochondrial calcium was near control levels [0.64(0.42) mmol.kg-1 dw]. Junctional sarcoplasmic reticular calcium significantly increased [6.56(0.59) to 18.53(1.64) mmol.kg-1 dw in control and reperfused cells, respectively, P < 0.05], while calcium had not changed significantly in T tubule lumen or "3rd compartment", composed of sarcoplasmic reticulum, T tubules, and free sarcoplasm. "3rd compartment" and junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum results suggest that sarcolemma bound calcium had decreased. Surviving myocytes had no change in total calcium, but showed a large degree of calcium redistribution. Mitochondria accumulated calcium during ischaemia, but released it upon reperfusion. Sarcoplasmic reticulum in reperfused cells appeared functional and may have helped maintain physiological [Ca2+]i by storing calcium released from mitochondria and the sarcolemma. Mitochondrial and sarcolemmal damage are proposed as critical factors in reperfusion injury.

ES-cells Carrying Two Inactivated myf-5 Alleles Form Skeletal Muscle Cells: Activation of an Alternative myf-5-Independent Differentiation Pathway

Both alleles of the myogenic regulatory gene myf-5 have been inactivated in mouse embryonic stem cells by different strategies involving either consecutive gene targeting with neomycin and hygromycin replacement vectors or spontaneous loss of heterozygosity in cells targeted with the neomycin replacement vector alone. Both selection schemes provided homozygous myf-5 mutant ES-cells with normal developmental potential in vitro. Embryoid bodies differentiated into skeletal muscle cells as assessed by their typical morphology and skeletal muscle markers. The extent of differentiation in homozygous mutant myf-5 embryonic stem cells was virtually indistinguishable from control cultures, suggesting that myf-5 is not required for the early steps of myogenic development in vitro. While myocyte populations derived from wild-type and heterozygous myf-5 mutant ES-cells contained myoD-positive and myoD-negative cells, no myoD-negative muscle cells were found among myf-5 homozygous mutants. Differentiated myf-5 double-knockout cells also showed a premature expression of myoD. These results indicate a compensatory role of myoD and myf-5 during early myocyte development and suggest a possible down-regulation of myoD by myf-5 during early myogenesis.

Molecular and cellular diversity of heart conduction system myocytes

Conduction system myocytes are a subpopulation of cardiac myocytes that display unique electrophysiologic properties. Significant differences in cellular components of conduction myocytes have been demonstrated by the application of in situ procedures using both immunologic and molecular probes. Although molecular and cellular biology investigations are still at the beginning, they unequivocally show that conduction myocytes are a highly heterogeneous myocyte population, whose difference from working myocytes might reflect both the degree of functional specialization and the origin from a cell lineage distinct from myocardial cells.

In situ analysis of the cardiac muscle gene program during embryogenesis

During the last decade, gene expression in cardiac muscle of the developing embryo has been examined in situ with the use of nucleic acid probes and antibodies. With growth and maturation from a simple tube to a four-chambered organ, the myocardium undergoes a complex series of developmental changes in the temporal and spatial expression patterns of a number of structural and transcription factor genes. Studies of embryonic hearts suggest that different populations of cardiac myocytes might appear during development. These in vivo results are summarized and discussed in the context of the morphogenetic events that shape the myocardium.

Variability of the cardiomyocyte ploidy in normal human hearts

We have performed cytophotometry for DNA in isolated myocytes of the left ventricle from 16 men, aged 19-39 years, who died from various non-cardiac or pulmonary causes. The mean ploidy of myocytes varied from 3.2-3.9 c to 6.6-7.3 c in different layers of the anterior wall of the left ventricle (where c is the haploid DNA content measured by cytophotometry in Feulgen-stained preparations). There was no correlation between the layers. The percentage of binuclear cells varied from 25 to 86% and correlated in every layer with the mean ploidy value of the whole myocyte population. Approximate calculation of total ploidy revealed low values in the ventricles of some individuals, and high values in others. Averaging the values for all the hearts studied obscures this variation. Mean myocyte ploidy in different layers of the anterior wall was similar: in the external layer it was 5.1 +/- 0.3 c, in the middle layer 5.5 +/- 0.3 c and in the inner layer 4.8 +/- 0.4 c. The mean percentage of binuclear myocytes in these three layers was also similar, being 61 +/- 3%, 63 +/- 4% and 54 +/- 5%, respectively. Myocyte ploidy in tissue from the posterior wall of the left ventricle also varied, but was always higher than for the same layer of the anterior wall in the same ventricle. We propose that high or low myocyte ploidy, as well as different proportions of mono- and binucleate cells, can be a factor affecting the course and result of cardiac pathology in the absence of any changes of myocyte genome determined during early ontogenesis and representing a stable characteristic of the individual.

Clonal analysis of cardiac morphogenesis in the chicken embryo using a replication-defective retrovirus. III: Polyclonal origin of adjacent ventricular myocytes.

Replication-incompetent variants of the avian spleen necrosis virus (SNV) encoding cytoplasmic or nuclear-directed beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) have been used to trace the clonal growth of myocytes during left ventricular free-wall formation. Tubular-stage hearts were infected with a mixed suspension of both retroviruses and, after hatching, the progeny of marked cells in the ventricular wall were examined by X-gal histochemistry. When a small number of virions was introduced individual blue patches contained myocytes with only one label type (cytoplasmic or nuclear). These results confirmed our previous conclusion that each cluster or patch represents a single clone (Mikawa et al., 1992, Dev. Dynamics, 193:11-23). Each of these clones formed a clone-shaped patch which often extended through the entire thickness of the ventricular myocardium, but typically each patch was heterogeneous, containing a mixture of labeled and unlabeled cells. We then asked whether the two populations of myocytes in each patch were clonally related or generated from more than one progenitor. When hearts were infected with high titer viral suspensions many patches were observed in which cytoplasmic-tagged myocytes were intermingled with nuclear-tagged myocytes. Thus, the cone-shaped myocyte patches in the ventricular wall are polyclones derived from separate progenitors in the precardiac mesoderm. This finding led us to examine the separation of clonally related ventricular myocytes in the developing hearts. Embryos were infected with retroviral suspensions at varying stages of development and the resulting colonies examined after hatching.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Heterogeneous distribution of [formula omitted] mRNAs within adult rat cardiac myocyte population: a quantitative In situ hybridization study

Heterogeneous distribution of [formula omitted] mRNAs within adult rat cardiac myocyte population: a quantitative In situ hybridization study