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Left-asymmetric expression of Galanin in the linear heart tube of the mouse embryo is independent of the nodal co-receptor gene cryptic

  1. Axel Schweickert1,*,
  2. Kirsten Deissler1,
  3. Stefan Britsch2,3,†,
  4. Miriam Albrecht1,
  5. Heike Ehmann1,
  6. Verena Mauch1,
  7. Ursula Gaio2,‡,
  8. Martin Blum1

Article first published online: 4 SEP 2008

DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21638

Issue

Developmental Dynamics

Developmental Dynamics

Special Issue: Special Focus on Left-Right Asymmetry

Volume 237, Issue 12, pages 3557–3564, December 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schweickert, A., Deissler, K., Britsch, S., Albrecht, M., Ehmann, H., Mauch, V., Gaio, U. and Blum, M. (2008), Left-asymmetric expression of Galanin in the linear heart tube of the mouse embryo is independent of the nodal co-receptor gene cryptic. Dev. Dyn., 237: 3557–3564. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.21638

Author Information

  1. 1

    University of Hohenheim, Institute of Zoology, Stuttgart, Germany

  2. 2

    Max-Delbrück-Center for Biomolecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany

  3. 3

    Georg-August Universität Goettingen, Zentrum Anatomie, Goettingen, Germany

  1. †

    University of Ulm, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, 89081 Ulm, Germany

  2. ‡

    Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Institute of Stem Cell Research, Neuherberg 85764, Germany

*University of Hohenheim, Institute of Zoology, Garbenstrasse 30, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 NOV 2008
  2. Article first published online: 4 SEP 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 30 MAY 2008

Funded by

  • DFG. Grant Number: BL285/6

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Keywords:

  • Galanin;
  • left-right asymmetry;
  • mouse;
  • conduction system;
  • inv;
  • iv;
  • cryptic

Abstract

Only very few left/right asymmetrically expressed genes are known in the mammalian embryo. In a screen for novel factors we identified the gene encoding the neuropeptide Galanin in mouse. At embryonic day (E) 8.5 asymmetric mRNA transcription was found in the left half of the linear heart tube. During heart looping and morphogenesis expression became restricted to the atrio-ventricular (AV) canal, followed by specific staining of the AV-node and AV-rings in the four-chambered heart. Expression was inverted in inv/inv and randomized in homozygous iv mutant embryos. Left-sided heart-specific transcription of mouse Gal thus should be controlled by the left-right pathway. The asymmetric pattern was retained in cryptic mutant embryos, in which the Nodal signaling cascade is disrupted. Surprisingly, Pitx2c was found to be expressed in 50% of cryptic mutant hearts as well, suggesting that some aspects of asymmetric gene expression in the heart are independent of cryptic. Developmental Dynamics 237:3557–3564, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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