Embryology of The Heart

Points
• Primordial Heart Tube
• Cardiac Looping
• Chamber septation
• Development of Valves and Outflow Tracts
Primitive Heart Tube

Origin: Splanchnic mesoderm

Cardiogenic area
Signaled from Endoderm
Primitive Heart Tube

Origin: Splanchnic mesoderm

Signaled from Endoderm
Primitive Heart Tube

Lateral folding to ventral midline  begins craniocaudal

Primitive Heart Tube

Lateral folding to ventral midline  begins craniocaudal

Heart beats begins 22th day due to coordinated contraction
Primitive Heart Tube

Origin:
Heart tube endothelial
Connective tissue + endothelial
Endothelial
Mesothelial (from sinus venosus)
Cardiac Looping
1. Heart tube elongates  bulbus cordis & primitive ventricles grow
2. Ventral bend and right rotation  C-shaped
3. Ventricles moves caudally  outflow-inflow tract diminishes
4. Atrial and outflow poles converges  truncus arteriosus

Day 25th
Cardiac Looping
1. Heart tube elongates  bulbus
cordis & primitive ventricles grow
2. Ventral bend and right rotation 
C-shaped
3. Ventricles moves caudally 
outflow-inflow tract diminishes
4. Atrial and outflow poles converges
 truncus arteriosus
Chamber Septation

Mid 4th week – 5th week

Chamber Septation
Atrio-Ventricular Division
1. Endocardial cushion  dorsal & ventral AV canal  divides
ventricle & atrium
2. Lateral walls of AV canal  smaller endocardial cushions (mitral &
tricuspid origin)

Mid 4th week – 5th week

 Chamber Septation

Atrial Septation
1. Septum primum  from the roof divides atrial into halves [foramen primum]  apoptosis perforation [foramen
secundum]
2. Septum secundum (muscular)  right of septum primum  overlaps at 5th – 6th week, incomplete [foramen ovale]
Mid 4th week – 5th week
 Chamber Septation

Atrial Septation
1. Septum primum  from the roof divides atrial into halves [foramen primum]  apoptosis perforation [foramen
secundum]
2. Septum secundum (muscular)  right of septum primum  overlaps at 5th – 6th week, incomplete [foramen ovale]
Mid 4th week – 5th week
 Chamber Septation

Atrial Septation
1. Septum primum  from the roof divides atrial into halves [foramen primum]  apoptosis perforation [foramen
secundum]
2. Septum secundum (muscular)  right of septum primum  overlaps at 5th – 6th week, incomplete [foramen ovale]
Mid 4th week – 5th week
 Chamber Septation

Ventricles septation
1. Minor trabeculations  Interventricular Ridge into septum in medial walls
2. IV foramen closes 7th week at bulbar ridges

Mid 4th week – 5th week

Chamber Septation

Mid 4th week – 5th week