Expression data from Shox2 knockout and wildtype right atria of E11.5 mouse hearts

The heart's rhythm is initiated and regulated by a group of specialized cells in the sinoatrial node (SAN), the primary pacemaker of the heart. Abnormalities in the development of the SAN can result in irregular heart rates (arrhythmias). Although several of the critical genes important for SAN formation have been identified, our understanding of the transcriptional network controlling SAN development remains at a relatively early stage. The homeodomain transcription factor Shox2 plays an essential early role in the specification and patterning of the SAN. Here, we compared gene expression levels in the right atria of wildtype and Shox2-/- hearts using microarray experiments to identify Shox2 target genes. Right atria of E11.5 mouse embryos were dissected and genotyped for RNA extraction. RNA from 6 embryos and 2 independent pregnancies was pooled per genotype (Wildtype and Shox2 Knockout) and compared.心脏的节律由窦房结（sinoatrial node, SAN）——心脏的主要起搏点——中的一组特化细胞启动并调控。窦房结发育异常可引发心律失常。尽管目前已鉴定出多个对窦房结形成至关重要的关键基因，但我们对调控窦房结发育的转录网络的认知仍处于相对初步的阶段。同源域转录因子Shox2在窦房结的特化与模式形成过程中发挥着关键的早期作用。本研究通过微阵列实验，比较野生型与Shox2基因敲除（Shox2-/-）小鼠心脏右心房的基因表达水平，以鉴定Shox2的靶基因。具体实验流程如下：对胚胎发育至E11.5阶段的小鼠胚胎右心房进行解剖并完成基因型鉴定，以提取RNA；每个基因型组别（野生型与Shox2敲除组）均混合来自6个胚胎且来源于2次独立妊娠的RNA样本，随后对两组样本进行表达对比。