Distribution of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) during heart development

The neural cell adhesion molecule, NCAM, was localized in the embryonic chick heart from Hamburger-Hamilton stage 14 up to hatching and in the adult heart. A monoclonal antibody directed to NCAM was used with the indirect antibody technique to stain frozen sections with immunoperoxidase. The myocardium showed immunoreactivity at stages 15 and 21, with little to no staining of epicardium, endocardium or atrioventricular endocardial cushion tissue. At stage 22, additional immunoreactivity was found in the endocardium of both the atrial septum and the atrial and ventricular surfaces of the atrioventricular cushions. Endocardial-derived mesenchymal cells within the cushions were also immunostained for NCAM. A gradient of NCAM staining was evident in the ventricular wall by stage 16. The staining intensity in the myocardium subjacent to the epicardium was less than found near the ventricular lumen. Biochemical analyses revealed that the embryonic heart expresses polysialylated NCAM. Upon desialylation with the endoneuraminidase Endo-N, the predominant heart NCAM has an apparent molecular weight of 155 to 160 kDa, which is distinct in size from the predominant forms found in embryonic chick nervous system (180, 140 and 120 kDa). NCAM expression is regionally regulated in the heart. The pattern of its expression is consistent with our hypothesis that it is involved in (1) differentiation of the atrial and ventricular walls, (2) fusion of the atrial spetum with the endocardial cushions, (3) fusion of the endocardial cushions, and (4) formation and remodeling of ventricular trabeculae.