Autonomic innervation of the developing heart: origins and function

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Cardiology

Background:

• Homeostatic circulation relies on autonomic innervation of the heart in mammals and birds.
• Neural branches innervate the heart, connecting autonomic output to cardiac components like the conduction system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the autonomic nervous system's structure and detailed cardiac innervation.
• To discuss the timing of cardiac innervation, neural crest contributions, neurotransmitters, and genetic factors in heart development.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cardiac autonomic innervation.
• Analysis of developmental timing in chick and mouse models.
• Summary of neurotransmitter roles and genetic/growth factor involvement.

Main Results:

• Cardiac innervation involves neural branches from mixed origins at arterial and venous poles.
• Specific gene networks and growth factors control neural identity, while neurotransmitters dictate function.
• The neural crest contributes variably to vagal cardiac nerves.

Conclusions:

• Understanding cardiac innervation is crucial for comprehending normal heart function and congenital autonomic dysfunction syndromes.
• Growth factors and gene families play a significant role in neural development, potentially impacting cardiac abnormalities.