Figure 8.

Real-time RT-PCR gene expression analysis in Smad5^fl/WT (Ctrl) and Sm22-Cre^+/0;Smad5^fl/− (KO) hearts. Histograms represent relative mRNA expression of each gene after normalization to GAPDH mRNA. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed a significant decrease in Smad5 mRNA in the mutant hearts, but no difference in expression levels of the Bmp target genes Id1 and Id2 was observed. Expression of Id3 and Pai1, Bmp, and Tgf-β target genes were moderately increased at 9 months of age. Anf, α-MHC, and β-MHC expression was also moderately increased in older mice. No change in expression was observed for all of the other genes analyzed.