Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, including the syndecans, play important roles during development and wound healing. While syndecan-2 is expressed by cells of the developing heart, as shown by Northern blot analysis, the developmental pattern and cellular specificity of syndecan-2 expression remains unknown. Using immunohistochemical analysis, syndecan-2 was found to be expressed within the myocardium beginning at the onset of epicardial formation in the chick heart and continued to be expressed in this tissue-specific manner throughout the stages examined. With growth factors such as FGF, TGF[beta] and BMP expressed in cardiac tissue, syndecan-2 likely is playing a role in mediating the ...