Anuran heart development and critical developmental periods: a comparative analysis of three Neotropical anuran species

MARÍA TERESA, SANDOVAL; ROMINA, GAONA; LUCILA MARILÉN, CURI; FERNANDA, ABRELIANO; RAFAEL CARLOS, LAJMANOVICH; PAOLA MARIELA, PELTZER

ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

WILEY-LISS, DIV JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2022

1932-8486

The heart begins to form early during vertebrate development and is the first functionalorgan of the embryo. This study aimed to describe and compare the heart developmentin three Neotropical anuran species, Physalaemus albonotatus, Elachistocleis bicolor,and Scinax nasicus. Different Gosner Stages (GS) of embryos (GS 18-20) andpremetamorphic (GS 21-25), prometamorphic (GS 26-41) and metamorphic (GS 42-46)tadpoles were analyzed using stereoscopic microscopy and Scanning ElectronicMicroscopy. Heart development was similar in the three analyzed species; however,some heterochronic events were identified between P. albonotatus and S. nasicuscompared to E. bicolor. In addition, different patterns of melanophores arrangementwere observed. During the embryonic and metamorphic periods, the mainmorphogenetic events occur: formation of the heart tube, regionalization of the heartcompartments, development of spiral valve, onset of heartbeat, looping, and finaldisplacement of the atrium and its complete septation. Both periods are critical for thenormal morphogenesis and the correct functioning of the anuran heart. These results areuseful to characterize the normal anuran heart morphology and to identify possibleabnormalities caused by exposure to environmental contaminants.