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Updated: Jan 17, 2026
Microinjection-based System for In Vivo Implantation of Embryonic Cardiomyocytes in the Avian Embryo
Published on: February 17, 2019
Coordination of cardiogenesis in vivo and in vitro
Sasha Mendjan1,2, Alison Deyett3,4, Deborah Yelon5
1Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria. SASHA.MENDJAN@IMBA.OEAW.AC.AT.
Insights
This review explores heart development, from initial cell organization to a functional organ. Advanced imaging, genomics, and cardiac organoids offer new insights for treating heart diseases.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cardiovascular Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Heart development is complex, involving intricate tissue organization, cellular lineages, and molecular factors.
- Investigating the orchestration of these elements to form a synchronized, functional heart remains a significant challenge.
- Existing research utilizes in vivo animal models and in vitro stem-cell-derived systems to understand cardiac development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent technological advancements and their impact on understanding heart development.
- To discuss how next-generation cardiac organoid models are providing profound insights.
- To highlight the implications for developing novel therapies for congenital and acquired heart diseases.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on heart development.
- Discussion of technological advancements in imaging and genomics.
- Analysis of next-generation cardiac organoid models in research.
Main Results:
- Technological advancements in imaging and genomics have significantly enhanced our understanding of heart development.
- Cardiac organoid models offer unprecedented opportunities to study complex cardiac processes in vitro.
- These insights are crucial for advancing therapeutic strategies for various heart conditions.
Conclusions:
- The convergence of advanced technologies and novel model systems is revolutionizing the study of heart development.
- Understanding the interplay of morphogenesis and function is key to heart maturation.
- This progress holds immense promise for future treatments of heart diseases.
Abstract:
Heart development has been extensively explored on the anatomical, cellular and molecular levels. Yet, the intricate interplay of tissue organization, cellular lineages and molecular factors that orchestrate heart development, culminating in forming a seamlessly synchronized functional heart, remains challenging to investigate. Mechanistic studies conducted both in vivo using animal models and in vitro stem-cell-derived systems aim to unravel this complexity. In this Review, we discuss how the recent surge in technological advancements in imaging and genomics, coupled with the evolution of next-generation cardiac organoid models, has provided profound insights into these processes, holding significant implications for the development of novel therapies for congenital or acquired heart diseases. We discuss the development of the heart as the first functional organ - from the morphogenesis of the mesoderm, heart tube and cardiac chambers to the establishment of the initial heartbeat and pacemaker and further how morphogenesis and function collaboratively drive heart maturation.
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