4 research outputs found
Heavy and light roles: myosin in the morphogenesis of the heart
Myosin is an essential component of cardiac muscle, from the onset of cardiogenesis through to the adult heart. Although traditionally known for its role in energy transduction and force development, recent studies
suggest that both myosin heavy-chain and myosin lightchain
proteins are required for a correctly formed heart.
Myosins are structural proteins that are not only expressed
from early stages of heart development, but when mutated
in humans they may give rise to congenital heart defects.
This review will discuss the roles of myosin, specifically
with regards to the developing heart. The expression of
each myosin protein will be described, and the effects that
altering expression has on the heart in embryogenesis in
different animal models will be discussed. The human
molecular genetics of the myosins will also be reviewed