Figure 4.

DCM in mice from line 41. (a) Increased lethality of heterozygous mice from line 41. Mice were subdivided within 3 age groups, and the percentages of deaths occurring within the corresponding life periods are indicated. WT mice were the littermates of the transgenic ones. (b–e) Cardiac dilation in heterozygous transgenic mice from line 41. External views of the hearts from a WT mouse and of a dilated heart from a transgenic littermate (TG) (2 months old) are shown in b and c, and transverse sections through the same hearts, in d and e. Note that the transgenic mouse from which the heart was taken displayed obvious signs of weakness. All the chambers of the transgenic heart contained organized thrombi that were removed during dissection, except one in the atrium (large arrow). A, atria; V, ventricles; VS, ventricular septum; LV, left ventricle; RV, right ventricle.