Genetic Regulation of Cardiac Patterning in Zebrafish

Excerpt

The embryonic vertebrate heart is composed of twomajor chambers: a ventricle and an atrium. To achievethis form, it is first necessary to select specific numbers ofventricular and atrial precursors from among a field ofcells possessing cardiac potential. The molecular mechanisms that establish and refine cardiac potential in theearly embryo remain poorly understood. The recentemergence of the zebrafish as a model organism providesexcellent opportunities for classic genetic analyses of cardiac patterning. Through studies of relevant zebrafishmutations, it is possible to identify critical genes and theirprecise roles in regulating cardiac cell fate decisions.Here, we review recent insights regarding cardiac patterning in zebrafish...