RRC ID 51274
Author Bloomekatz J, Singh R, Prall OW, Dunn AC, Vaughan M, Loo CS, Harvey RP, Yelon D.
Title Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling directs cardiomyocyte movement toward the midline during heart tube assembly.
Journal Elife
Abstract Communication between neighboring tissues plays a central role in guiding organ morphogenesis. During heart tube assembly, interactions with the adjacent endoderm control the medial movement of cardiomyocytes, a process referred to as cardiac fusion. However, the molecular underpinnings of this endodermal-myocardial relationship remain unclear. Here, we show an essential role for platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (Pdgfra) in directing cardiac fusion. Mutation of pdgfra disrupts heart tube assembly in both zebrafish and mouse. Timelapse analysis of individual cardiomyocyte trajectories reveals misdirected cells in zebrafish pdgfra mutants, suggesting that PDGF signaling steers cardiomyocytes toward the midline during cardiac fusion. Intriguingly, the ligand pdgfaa is expressed in the endoderm medial to the pdgfra-expressing myocardial precursors. Ectopic expression of pdgfaa interferes with cardiac fusion, consistent with an instructive role for PDGF signaling. Together, these data uncover a novel mechanism through which endodermal-myocardial communication can guide the cell movements that initiate cardiac morphogenesis.
Volume 6
Published 2017-1-18
DOI 10.7554/eLife.21172
PII 21172
PMID 28098558
PMC PMC5298878
MeSH Animals Cell Movement* Gene Knockout Techniques Heart / embryology* Mice Morphogenesis Myocytes, Cardiac / drug effects* Myocytes, Cardiac / physiology* Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / metabolism* Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / genetics Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / metabolism* Signal Transduction* Time-Lapse Imaging Zebrafish
IF 7.08
Times Cited 14
Resource
Zebrafish Tg(sox17:EGFP)