Figure 1

Akt promotes EndMT during endocardial cushion formation. (A and B) E10.5 Akt1 mRNA is expressed in the endocardial cushion (*) of the AVC, but not in the myocardium (M) of the ventricle (V), atria (A) or outflow track (OFT). The image was taken under 4× (A) and 10× magnification (B). (C-F) AVC Explants were treated with DMSO (C and E) or pharmacological inhibitor of PI3K (LY294002) (D and F). The mesenchyme outgrowth (arrows) detected in explants was significantly reduced in explants treated with L294003, both in the brightfield images (C and D) DMSO treated as well as (E and F) α SMA stained fluorescent images. What outgrowth there was with LY294002 was the cobblestone morphology of an endothelial monolayer (D, note bracket). These images were representative of multiple explants (n>10) in independent experiments.