Embryology of the heart
- Embryology 1
- Embryology 2
The primordium of the heart forms in the cardiogenic plate located at the cranial end of the embryo. Angiogenic cell clusters coalesce to form two endocardial tubes. These tubes are then forced into the thoracic region (due to cephalic and lateral foldings), where they fuse together forming a single endocardial tube.
The tube is subdivided into primordial heart chambers starting caudally:
- Sinus venosus
- Primitive atria
- Ventricle
- Bulbus cordis
The heart tube begins to grow rapidly and the result is the bulboventricular loop.
