Rottbauer W, Baker K, Wo ZG, Mohideen MA, Cantiello HF, Fishman MC. Growth and function of the embryonic heart depend upon the cardiac-specific L-type calcium channel alpha1 subunit. Dev Cell. 2001 Aug; 1(2):265-75.

Citation

Rottbauer W, Baker K, Wo ZG, Mohideen MA, Cantiello HF, Fishman MC. 2001. Growth and function of the embryonic heart depend upon the cardiac-specific L-type calcium channel alpha1 subunit. Developmental cell. 1(2):265-75. Pubmed: 11702785

Abstract

The heart must function from the moment of its embryonic assembly, but the molecular underpinnings of the first heart beat are not known, nor whether function determines form at this early stage. Here, we find by positional cloning that the embryonic lethal island beat (isl) mutation in zebrafish disrupts the alpha1 C L-type calcium channel subunit (C-LTCC). The isl atrium is relatively normal in size, and individual cells contract chaotically, in a pattern resembling atrial fibrillation. The ventricle is completely silent. Unlike another mutation with a silent ventricle, isl fails to acquire the normal number of myocytes. Thus, calcium signaling via C-LTCC can regulate heart growth independently of contraction, and plays distinctive roles in fashioning both form and function of the two developing chambers.

Related Faculty

Mark C. Fishman, M.D.

Fishman Lab

Mark C. Fishman’s group studies the heart-brain connection. They employ a range of genetic, developmental, and neurobiological tools in zebrafish to understand what the heart tells the brain, and how critical internal sensory systems adjust homeostatic and somatic behaviors, including social interactions.