Cited 24 times since 2012 (2 per year) source: EuropePMC Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists, Volume 241, Issue 9, 30 5 2012, Pages 1413-1422 Morphogenesis of outflow tract rotation during cardiac development: the pulmonary push concept. Scherptong RW, Jongbloed MR, Wisse LJ, Vicente-Steijn R, Bartelings MM, Poelmann RE, Schalij MJ, Gittenberger-De Groot AC

Background

Understanding of cardiac outflow tract (OFT) remodeling is essential to explain repositioning of the aorta and pulmonary orifice. In wild type embryos (E9.5-14.5), second heart field contribution (SHF) to the OFT was studied using expression patterns of Islet 1, Nkx2.5, MLC-2a, WT-1, and 3D-reconstructions. Abnormal remodeling was studied in VEGF120/120 embryos.

Results

In wild type, Islet 1 and Nkx2.5 positive myocardial precursors formed an asymmetric elongated column almost exclusively at the pulmonary side of the OFT up to the pulmonary orifice. In VEGF120/120 embryos, the Nkx2.5-positive mesenchymal population was disorganized with a short extension along the pulmonary OFT.

Conclusions

We postulate that normally the pulmonary trunk and orifice are pushed in a higher and more frontal position relative to the aortic orifice by asymmetric addition of SHF-myocardium. Deficient or disorganized right ventricular OFT expansion might explain cardiac malformations with abnormal position of the great arteries, such as double outlet right ventricle.

Dev Dyn. 2012 7;241(9):1413-1422