Lolita Dokshokova, Mauro Franzoso, Anna Di Bona, Nicola Moro, Jose Luis Sanchez Alonso, Valentina Prando, Michele Sandre, Cristina Basso, Giuseppe Faggian, Hugues Abriel, Oriano Marin, Julia Gorelik, Tania Zaglia, Marco Mongillo
Sympathetic neurons densely innervate the myocardium with non-random topology and establish structured contacts (i.e. neuro-cardiac junctions, NCJ) with cardiomyocytes, allowing synaptic intercellular communication. Establishment of heart innervation is regulated by molecular mediators released by myocardial cells. The mechanisms underlying maintenance of cardiac innervation in the fully developed heart, are, however, less clear. Notably, several cardiac diseases, primarily affecting cardiomyocytes, are associated with sympathetic denervation, supporting the hypothesis that retrograde 'cardiomyocyte-to-sympathetic neuron' communication is essential for heart cellular homeostasis...
June 2022: Journal of Physiology