growth/size/body
mortality/aging
• null mice are born alive, but most die within 1 week
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cardiovascular system
• in 2 of 6 adults, a small hole is found between the aorta and the pulmonary artery
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• much less cushion tissue is distributed in the septum forming region compared to wild-type; the cushion tissues of the aortic valve and AV-valve forming regions are similar or larger in size compared to wild-type
• by E17.5, retardation of cushion tissue remodeling is evident; in wild-type AV cushions, the mesenchyme developed thick fibrils whereas the nulls had fine meshes of thin fibrils spread throughout the mesenchyme ot the cushion
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• the AV cushion is smaller and thinner in mutants at E12.5 and 13.5
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• aortic valves are morphologically immature (10 of 12 animals); defects in aortic valves are less severe than in pulmonary valves
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• pulmonary valves are morphologically immature (10 of 12 animals)
• in 2 of 6 adults, the pulmonary valve is immature
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• aorta arises over the ventral septal defect
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• mitral valve is mildly affected (3 of 12 animals) or apparently normal
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• tricuspid valve is severely impaired in 10 of 12 animals
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• all of newborn hearts examined have a defect in the membranous portion of the ventricular septum
• in adult nulls 3 of 4 have ventricular septal defects
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• adults commonly exhibit a markedly enlarged right ventricle
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muscle
• in nulls, some skeletal muscles are thinner than in wild-type littermates
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• diaphragm muscles of nulls at E18.5 and P1 are thinner than in wild-type, attributable to differences in the thickness of the myofibers with respect to wild-type
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endocrine/exocrine glands
• in null mice at E18.5 and P1, penetration of the adrenal medulla by thick preganglionic neuron bundles is impaired in knockouts
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