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American Zoologist 1978 18(2):321-326; doi:10.1093/icb/18.2.321
© 1978 by The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
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The Cardiac Mutant: An Overview

J. T. JUSTUS
Department of Zoology, Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona 85281

SYNOPSIS.The cardiac lethal mutation was discovered in a strain of axolotls (Ambysloma mexkanum) imported from Mexico. Embryos homozygous recessive for the c gene develop in a normal fashion until the heartbeat stage of development. At this time, heart action is observed in unaffected siblings, but in cardiac lethal embryos heart action is not apparent. Affected animals hatch and swim, but do not feed. Within a few days, ascites develops and the animals die within a short time afterward. The c gene is inherited as a simple recessive.

The direct effect of gene c is unknown. Data has been presented which suggests that gene c alters the anterior endoderm which may be a specific heart inductor in this species. Alternatively, the failure of heart action may result from an ionic imbalance in the immediate heart environment. This paper reviews the relevant experiments and presents new data supporting each of these suggestions for the mechanism of action of the cardiac lethal gene.


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