Endocardial heart tube

Endocardial Heart Tube is a crucial structure in the early stages of cardiac development in vertebrates. It is the primitive heart tube that forms from the cardiac mesoderm and eventually gives rise to the four chambers of the heart.

Formation

The formation of the endocardial heart tube is a complex process that involves the migration of cardiac precursor cells from the primitive streak to the midline of the embryo. These cells differentiate into two layers: the outer myocardium, which will form the muscular wall of the heart, and the inner endocardium, which will form the lining of the heart chambers and heart valves.

The endocardial heart tube initially forms as a straight tube, but it soon begins to loop and fold in a process known as cardiac looping. This is a critical step in the formation of the four-chambered heart, as it establishes the basic left-right, anterior-posterior, and dorsal-ventral axes of the heart.

Morphogenesis

The endocardial heart tube undergoes extensive morphogenesis to form the mature heart. This involves a series of complex and tightly regulated morphogenetic events, including cardiac septation, valvulogenesis, and chamber formation. These processes are regulated by a variety of signaling pathways and transcription factors, and disruptions in these processes can lead to congenital heart defects.

Clinical Significance

Understanding the formation and development of the endocardial heart tube is crucial for understanding and treating congenital heart defects. Many of these defects result from abnormalities in the formation or morphogenesis of the endocardial heart tube. Research in this area is ongoing and has the potential to lead to new treatments for congenital heart disease.

See Also

• Cardiac development
• Congenital heart defect
• Cardiac mesoderm
• Endocardium
• Myocardium