Myofibrillogenesis in the Heart

摘要: Cardiac muscle sarcomeres are complex structures composed of numerous proteins organized in an exquisitely precise manner. Studies using cultured myocytes combined with analysis myofibril assembly the developing heart vivo have yielded a model for that provides framework future experiments. The stage is now set mechanistic and functional analyses differentiating cardiac myocytes. These types experiments will require developmental systems which precardiac cells targeted function altering or antibodies, expression specific myofibrillar constituents ablated foreign genes introduced. Explants from regions avian embryos accessible to experimental manipulation may offer one avenue approaching these questions. Mouse embryonic stem can be induced differentiate into beating culture, this system another potentially powerful approach defining protein domains during myofibrillogenesis. Importantly, rapid technologic advances imaging techniques at light microscopic level, including confocal, deconvolution, two (multi-) photon microscopy, predicted significant impact on field, allowing generation three-dimensional images spatial relationships assembly. In particular, ability monitor sarcomeric [e.g., green fluorescent (GFP)-tagged] individual real time allow us address questions cannot answered static images. combination improved methods, new models, gene ablation modification technologies promise enable detailed mechanisms involved important interactions regulating thick thin filament length specification, potential role titin as molecular scaffold process.