▁a ▁bi phas ic ▁role . ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁activation ▁of ▁W nt / beta - c aten in ▁is ▁essential ▁for ▁comm itting ▁mes en ch ym al ▁cells ▁to ▁a ▁card iac ▁line age ; ▁however , ▁in ▁later ▁stages ▁of ▁development , ▁the ▁down reg ulation ▁of ▁beta - c aten in ▁is ▁required . ▁ ▁In vol vement ▁in ▁card iac ▁phys i ology ▁▁ ▁In ▁card iac ▁mus cle , ▁beta - c aten in ▁forms ▁a ▁complex ▁with ▁N - c ad her in ▁at ▁ad her ens ▁j unction s ▁within ▁inter cal ated ▁disc ▁structures , ▁which ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁elect rical ▁and ▁mechanical ▁coupling ▁of ▁adjacent ▁card iac ▁cells . ▁Studies ▁in ▁a ▁model ▁of ▁adult ▁rat ▁vent ric ular ▁card iom y ocy tes ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁the ▁appearance ▁and ▁distribution ▁of ▁beta - c aten in ▁is ▁sp atio - tem por ally ▁reg ulated ▁during ▁the ▁red iffer enti ation ▁of ▁these ▁cells ▁in ▁culture . ▁Specifically , ▁beta - c aten in ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁distinct ▁complex ▁with ▁N - c ad her in ▁and ▁alpha - c aten in , ▁which ▁is ▁abund ant ▁at ▁ad her ens ▁j unction s ▁in ▁early ▁stages ▁following ▁card iom y ocy te ▁isol ation ▁for ▁the ▁re formation ▁of ▁cell - cell ▁contacts . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁that ▁beta - c aten in ▁forms ▁a ▁complex ▁with ▁emer in ▁in ▁card iom y ocy tes ▁at ▁ad her