Loading...
1 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
- Identification of novel genes expressed in the heart/hemangioblast precursor cellsPublication . Bento, Margaret Carvalho; Belo, JoséMany studies using the chick embryo have been performed to identify the heart-forming region of the development embryo. The heart precursor cells (HPC) are generated within bilateral fields in the lateral mesoderm, which consequently converge toward the midline to form a beating linear heart tube. One of the genes expressed by these cells is Caronte (Car). In the avian embryo, Car transcripts are detected in the anterior mesendoderm including the HPC and in the left lateral plate mesoderm. Preliminary results obtained in promoter analysis experiments, showed that a 2.5Kb fragment upstream from the ATG of chick Car was able to drive EGFP expression within the normal Car domains of expression. Furthermore, a large population of EGFP positive cells, corresponding to the heart and the hemangioblast precursor cells (H/HPC) could clearly be visualized exiting the anterior primitive streak region from as early as stage HH3+. In order to identify and study novel genes expressed and involved in the correct development of the vertebrate H/HPC lineages, a differential screening using Affymetrix GeneChip® system technologies was performed. Remarkably, this screening led to the identification of more than 800 new genes potentially expressed in these haematopoesis, angiogenesis or cardiogenesis precursor lineages. Interesting new transcripts were ordered from EST Databases and three newly uncovered genes were studied more thoroughly. Expression pattern through embryonic development was performed by whole mount in situ hybridization, to validate its differential expression characteristic of the H/HPC population. Taken together, the results in this thesis, provides a set of interesting novel candidate genes that may play important roles in the heart development, providing in the longterm useful information with clinical relevance.