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Development of the Heart

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...

Chambers of the Heart

Chambers of the Heart

The human heart is a complex organ made up of four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. These internal chambers are separated by partitions known as the interatrial and interventricular septa. The exterior of the heart features a groove known as the coronary sulcus that demarcates the atria from the ventricles, while the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci distinguish between the two ventricles.
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...

Heart Valves

Heart Valves

The human heart is a complex organ with an intricate system of valves that regulate blood flow. There are two main types of valves: atrioventricular (AV) valves and semilunar valves.
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The human heart is made up of three layers of tissue that are surrounded by the pericardium, a membrane that protects and confines the heart. The outermost layer, closest to the pericardium, is the epicardium. The pericardial cavity separates the pericardium from the epicardium. Beneath the epicardium is the myocardium, the middle layer, and the endocardium, the innermost layer. There are four chambers of the heart: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium, and the left ventricle.

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ approximately the size of a fist, consisting of four chambers. It is enclosed in the pericardium, a fibrous sac with two layers: the visceral and parietal pericardium, separated by a fluid-filled space containing serous fluid to reduce friction.
The heart has three layers: the innermost endocardium, the muscular myocardium, and the outer epicardium, all working together for optimal cardiac function.
Chambers of the Heart
The heart is made up of four...

Development of Blood Vessels

Development of Blood Vessels

The development of the vascular system in a fetus is a complex and intricate process that begins as early as 15 to 16 days post-conception. This process starts outside the embryo, specifically in the mesoderm of the yolk sac, chorion, and connecting stalk. Approximately two days later, the formation of blood vessels occurs within the embryo itself.
The initial formation of this system is facilitated by the small amount of yolk present in the ovum and yolk sac. Blood vessels originate from...

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Generating Self-Assembling Human Heart Organoids Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generating Self-Assembling Human Heart Organoids Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: September 15, 2021

Development of the human heart.

Marc Sylva¹, Maurice J B van den Hoff, Antoon F M Moorman

¹Department of Anatomy, Embryology & Physiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part A

|May 2, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Recent molecular and genetic studies reveal that the embryonic heart tube grows by cell addition, not proliferation, with specific genes regulating cardiac development and congenital malformations. This research advances understanding of heart formation and disease origins.

Keywords:

cardiovascular disease development heart

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Published on: September 15, 2021

Imaging Cleared Embryonic and Postnatal Hearts at Single-cell Resolution

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En Face Endocardial Cushion Preparation for Planar Morphogenesis Analysis in Mouse Embryos

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Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Molecular Genetics
Cardiology

Background:

Cardiac development involves continuous addition of precursor cells to the primary heart tube from external growth centers.
Cell proliferation is minimal until chamber differentiation and expansion begin, leading to chamber ballooning.
Transcriptional repressors like Tbx2 and Tbx3 play a crucial role in directing differentiation towards the cardiac conduction system.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the molecular and genetic mechanisms governing cardiac morphogenesis.
To understand the developmental origins of various cardiac components using molecular genetic lineage analyses.
To bridge the knowledge gap in understanding common congenital cardiac malformations.

Main Methods:

Utilizing molecular and genetic studies to analyze cardiac development.
Employing molecular genetic lineage analyses to trace cell origins.
Investigating the function of transcriptional repressors (Tbx2, Tbx3) in cardiac differentiation.

Main Results:

The primary heart tube expands through continuous cell addition rather than significant proliferation.
Specific genes and transcriptional repressors (Tbx2, Tbx3) control chamber differentiation and conduction system development.
Molecular phenotypes allow unambiguous identification of distinct cardiac components based on their developmental origin.

Conclusions:

Molecular genetic techniques are crucial for understanding the gene regulatory networks underlying cardiac morphogenesis.
Despite advances, the etiology of congenital cardiac malformations remains poorly understood, highlighting the need for further research.
This work provides foundational knowledge for future investigations into cardiac development and congenital heart defects.