Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts01:13

Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts

De novo myogenesis, or the formation of muscle fibers, begins during the early embryonic stages. The skeletal muscle is formed from somites– blocks of embryonic cell layers. The somites are further divided into dermatomes, myotomes, sclerotomes, and syndetomes. Among these, the myotomes give rise to muscle fibers.
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription factors...
Structure of Cardiac Muscles01:13

Structure of Cardiac Muscles

Cardiac muscle, or myocardium, is a specialized type of muscle found exclusively in the heart. Its unique structural and functional characteristics enable the heart to perform its vital role of pumping blood throughout the body continuously and rhythmically. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, possess an endomysium and perimysium but do not have an epimysium.
Compared to skeletal muscles, cardiac muscle cells are small and mostly have a single nucleus. Additionally, they are usually...
Development of the Heart01:27

Development of the Heart

The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart tube by...
Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles01:27

Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles

The primary role of cardiac muscles is to propel blood throughout the cardiovascular system. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, exhibit specialized characteristics that allow them to perform this function.
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy reserves in...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Clinical Anatomy of the Left and Right Atrial Appendages in Humans: Comparative and Developmental Perspective.

Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Regeneration of the lizard heart after cryoinjury.

Experimental physiology·2026
Same author

Accelerating Transmural Conduction: The Role of Intramural Purkinje Fibers in the Pig Heart.

Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology·2026
Same author

Recent insights into atrial chamber formation.

Seminars in cell & developmental biology·2025
Same author

Electrical Remodeling of Pressure Overloaded Rat Heart Is Attenuated if Imposed During Proliferative Cardiac Growth.

Acta physiologica (Oxford, England)·2025
Same author

Correction to: Hemodynamics During Development and Postnatal Life.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2025
Same journal

Multi-stage transcriptome analysis reveals genetic orchestration of rat testis development.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
Same journal

Three-dimensional observation of the muscle-tendon integration process in mouse embryos.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
Same journal

Goofy/123Cre lineage tracing differentiates olfactory and vomeronasal neurons from GnRH-1 and terminal nerve neurons during neuronal migration and reveals additional olfactory placode-derived cells in the brain.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
Same journal

Prenatal sexual dimorphism in human pelvic tilt at the onset of fetal ossification.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
Same journal

Meet the editorial team. An interview with Ralph Marcucio, Assistant Editor, University of California San Francisco, United States.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
Same journal

Editorial highlights.

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart
10:56

Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart

Published on: March 26, 2015

Myocyte proliferation in the developing heart.

David Sedmera1, Robert P Thompson

  • 1Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Prague, Czech Republic. david.sedmera@lf1.cuni.cz

Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists
|May 4, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Myocyte proliferation is the primary driver of fetal heart growth, with distinct spatial and temporal patterns influencing cardiac development. Understanding these processes is key for treating congenital heart disease and developing cardiac repair strategies.

More Related Videos

Visualization of Cell Cycle Variations and Determination of Nucleation in Postnatal Cardiomyocytes
09:41

Visualization of Cell Cycle Variations and Determination of Nucleation in Postnatal Cardiomyocytes

Published on: February 24, 2017

Simultaneous Assessment of Cardiomyocyte DNA Synthesis and Ploidy: A Method to Assist Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Regeneration and Turnover
08:03

Simultaneous Assessment of Cardiomyocyte DNA Synthesis and Ploidy: A Method to Assist Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Regeneration and Turnover

Published on: May 23, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart
10:56

Analysis of Cardiomyocyte Development using Immunofluorescence in Embryonic Mouse Heart

Published on: March 26, 2015

Visualization of Cell Cycle Variations and Determination of Nucleation in Postnatal Cardiomyocytes
09:41

Visualization of Cell Cycle Variations and Determination of Nucleation in Postnatal Cardiomyocytes

Published on: February 24, 2017

Simultaneous Assessment of Cardiomyocyte DNA Synthesis and Ploidy: A Method to Assist Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Regeneration and Turnover
08:03

Simultaneous Assessment of Cardiomyocyte DNA Synthesis and Ploidy: A Method to Assist Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Regeneration and Turnover

Published on: May 23, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Cardiovascular research
  • Regenerative medicine

Background:

  • Organ growth regulation is crucial during embryogenesis.
  • Cardiac morphogenesis involves cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and cell death.
  • Myocyte proliferation is the main determinant of prenatal cardiac size.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize current knowledge on regional control of myocyte proliferation in cardiac morphogenesis and dysmorphogenesis.
  • To explain the role of myocyte proliferation in cardiac development and disease.
  • To highlight the implications for cardiac tissue engineering and congenital heart disease treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies on cardiac development.
  • Analysis of spatial and temporal differences in myocyte proliferation rates.
  • Investigation of factors influencing proliferation, including hemodynamic loading and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • Myocyte proliferation rates exhibit significant spatial and temporal variations, peaking during the preseptation period.
  • Regional proliferation patterns explain ventricular septation, chamber morphogenesis, and conduction system development.
  • Hemodynamic loading and growth factors influence myocyte proliferation via autocrine and paracrine signaling.

Conclusions:

  • Myocyte proliferation is a critical determinant of cardiac size and morphogenesis during embryogenesis.
  • Understanding these proliferative mechanisms is essential for advancing treatments for congenital heart disease.
  • Knowledge gained can inform the engineering of artificial myocardial tissues for cardiac repair.