Longitudinal Live Imaging Derived 4D Hemodynamics and Dynamic Tissue Mechanics Across Outflow Tract Morphogenesis
Gening Dong1, Jaehyun Rhee2, Shivani Jagadish Kumar2
1The Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|September 5, 2025
Summary
This study reveals how blood flow forces influence cardiac outflow tract development, crucial for preventing congenital heart defects. Understanding these mechanics offers new avenues for treating heart abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cardiac outflow tract (OFT) development and remodeling are poorly understood.
- Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are often linked to OFT abnormalities, but mechanical forces' roles are unclear.
- Lack of longitudinal studies hinders understanding OFT remodeling dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay between blood flow and tissue mechanics in OFT remodeling.
- To longitudinally quantify OFT hemodynamics and tissue stress across developmental stages.
- To elucidate the contribution of hemodynamic forces to OFT remodeling and septation.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel live high-frequency ultrasound-derived 4D moving-domain computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation approach.
- Enabled longitudinal analysis of OFT hemodynamics and tissue mechanics in the same embryos.
- Examined embryos across Hamburger-Hamilton (HH) stages 21 to HH27.
Main Results:
- Rising wall shear stress (WSS) correlates with distal OFT tissue extension.
- Proximal OFT shows increasing expansive strains and hydrostatic stress.
- Identified a double-helical flow pattern in the OFT lumen.
Conclusions:
- Hemodynamic forces and tissue stress are key contributors to OFT remodeling and septation.
- Findings provide novel insights into OFT development mechanisms.
- Potential implications for understanding and treating congenital heart defects.
Keywords:
Cardiac outflow tractComputational fluid dynamicslongitudinal ultrasound imagingoutflow tract developmentMore Related Videos
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