Expression of the transcription factor GATA-4 in human heart development / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the expression of the transcription factor GATA-4 in human heart development.Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of GATA-4 in 45 normal human embryonic hearts of 6-23 gestational weeks.Results: In the early stage of the fetal heart morphogenesis,we observed no GATA-4 expression in the ventricle,weak expression in the atria and relatively high expression in the trabecular nets.With the heart development,the GATA-4 expression was enhanced in the atria,ventricle,trabecular nets and atrial-ventricular valves,as well as in the muscular and membranous interventricular septum,the highest in each part of the heart.Conclusion: The transcription factor GATA-4 plays an important role in human heart development.