Expression pattern of novel chick T-box gene, Tbx20.

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved with the initial specifications of the cardiac mesoderm. In order to identify potential regulatory factors that play important roles in early heart specification, we attempted to isolate the chick H15-related T-box gene and analyze its expression pattern during early development. The chick Tbx20 gene was found to be highly homologous to human, mouse, and zebrafish hrT/Tbx20. Its expression was initially detected in the posterior lateral mesoderm, after which it expanded to the anterior and was intensively co-expressed with a cardiogenic gene, Nkx2.5, in the anterior lateral mesoderm.