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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...

Overview of the Heart

Overview of the Heart

The heart, a muscular organ located in the chest, functions as the body's pump, circulating blood through the vascular system. It has four chambers: two atria on top and two ventricles below. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle, which pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and transfers it to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body.
The heart's structure...

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.

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...

Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle

Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle

The cardiac cycle describes the events from one heartbeat to the next. It includes three main phases: diastole, atrial systole, and ventricular systole, all driven by changes in chamber pressures and the function of heart valves.
Diastole: The Relaxation Phase
During diastole, all four heart chambers relax. The atrioventricular (AV) valves open, and the semilunar valves close. This phase sees the lowest chamber pressures, promoting ventricular filling. Venous blood enters the heart through the...

Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

In Vitro Generation of Heart Field-specific Cardiac Progenitor Cells

In Vitro Generation of Heart Field-specific Cardiac Progenitor Cells

Published on: July 3, 2019

The second heart field: the first 20 years.

Ke Zhao¹, Zhongzhou Yang²

¹State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210093, China.

Mammalian Genome : Official Journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society

|December 22, 2022

Summary

The second heart field (SHF) is crucial for heart development. Research over 20 years has clarified its role, signaling, and properties, paving the way for treating congenital heart defects.

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Generation of First Heart Field-like Cardiac Progenitors and Ventricular-like Cardiomyocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

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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

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Last Updated: Aug 16, 2025

In Vitro Generation of Heart Field-specific Cardiac Progenitor Cells

In Vitro Generation of Heart Field-specific Cardiac Progenitor Cells

Published on: July 3, 2019

Generation of First Heart Field-like Cardiac Progenitors and Ventricular-like Cardiomyocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generation of First Heart Field-like Cardiac Progenitors and Ventricular-like Cardiomyocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: June 19, 2018

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

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cardiovascular Research
Cell Biology

Background:

The second heart field (SHF) was identified in 2001 as a progenitor cell population vital for heart development in avian and murine embryos.
Two decades of research have significantly advanced our understanding of the SHF's contribution to cardiac morphogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide a retrospective analysis of the second heart field's contribution to heart development.
To review the signaling networks, epithelial properties, and spatiotemporal development of the SHF.
To discuss the interactions between the SHF and other cardiac cell types.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on the second heart field (SHF).
Analysis of spatiotemporal characteristics and cellular interactions during heart development.
Discussion of emerging technologies like single-cell sequencing and lineage tracing.

Main Results:

The SHF comprises a distinct progenitor cell population essential for forming specific heart structures.
Key signaling pathways and cellular properties regulating SHF development have been elucidated.
Interactions between the SHF and other cardiac progenitors are critical for normal heart formation.

Conclusions:

Continued investigation into SHF cellular heterogeneity and regulatory networks is necessary.
Advanced technologies like single-cell sequencing will enhance understanding of SHF function and molecular signals.
SHF research holds significant potential for treating congenital heart diseases and advancing regenerative medicine.