Platelet‐derived growth factors in the developing avian heart and maturating coronary vasculature

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Abstract
Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are important in embryonic development. To elucidate their role in avian heart and coronary development, we investigated protein expression patterns of PDGF-A, PDGF-B, and the receptors PDGFR-α and PDGFR-β using immunohistochemistry on sections of pro-epicardial quail–chicken chimeras of Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) 28–HH35. PDGF-A and PDGFR-α were expressed in the atrial septum, sinus venosus, and throughout the myocardium, with PDGFR-α retreating to the trabeculae at later stages. Additionally, PDGF-A and PDGFR-α were present in outflow tract cushion mesenchyme and myocardium, respectively. Small cardiac nerves and (sub)epicardial cells expressed PDGF-B and PDGFR-β. Furthermore, endothelial cells expressed PDGF-B, while vascular smooth muscle cells and interstitial epicardium-derived cells expressed PDGFR-β, indicating a role in coronary maturation. PDGF-B is also present in ventricular septal development, in the absence of any PDGFR. Epicardium-derived cells in the atrioventricular cushions expressed PDGFR-β. We conclude that all four proteins are involved in myocardial development, whereas PDGF-B and PDGFR-β are specifically important in coronary maturation. Developmental Dynamics 233:1579–1588, 2005.

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