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Transient cardiomyocyte fusion regulates cardiac development in zebrafish

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  • Suphansa Sawamiphak

    (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research
    Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13092 Berlin, Germany; DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research))

  • Zacharias Kontarakis

    (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research)

  • Alessandro Filosa

    (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine)

  • Sven Reischauer

    (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research)

  • Didier Y. R. Stainier

    (Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research)

Abstract

Cells can sacrifice their individuality by fusing, but the prevalence and significance of this process are poorly understood. To approach these questions, here we generate transgenic reporter lines in zebrafish to label and specifically ablate fused cells. In addition to skeletal muscle cells, the reporters label cardiomyocytes starting at an early developmental stage. Genetic mosaics generated by cell transplantation show cardiomyocytes expressing both donor- and host-derived transgenes, confirming the occurrence of fusion in larval hearts. These fusion events are transient and do not generate multinucleated cardiomyocytes. Functionally, cardiomyocyte fusion correlates with their mitotic activity during development as well as during regeneration in adult animals. By analyzing the cell fusion-compromised jam3b mutants, we propose a role for membrane fusion in cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac function. Together, our findings uncover the previously unrecognized process of transient cardiomyocyte fusion and identify its potential role in cardiac development and function.

Suggested Citation

  • Suphansa Sawamiphak & Zacharias Kontarakis & Alessandro Filosa & Sven Reischauer & Didier Y. R. Stainier, 2017. "Transient cardiomyocyte fusion regulates cardiac development in zebrafish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-01555-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01555-8
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