Figure 7. Potential mechanistic role of Mzf1 during embryonic development.

The first peak of physiological Mzf1 up-regulation occurs during specification of pluripotent cells, corresponding to the epiblast stage during murine development on E 6.0 or 6.5. At this time Mzf1 seems to have an inhibitory effect on cardiac lineage commitment. The second physiological peak of Mzf1 expression occurs during differentiation of pluripotent cells around day eight of in vitro differentiation. An overexpression of Mzf1 at the beginning of this peak resulted in stimulation of cardiogenesis.