CVS Session 3: CVS embryology and congenital heart defects Flashcards
When does the vascular system appear and why?
Middle of week 3 (~day 16)
Need more than diffusion to meet the nutritional requirements
Where are the progenitor heart cells located?
In the epiblast, next to the cranial end of the primitive streak
Describe the 2 sections of cardiac field, located at the cranial end
Primary heart field: cranial to neural folds. Form atria, LV and part of RV
Secondary heart field: remainder of RV and outflow tract
To where do the progenitor heart cells migrate at the start of heart development?
Splanchic layer of the lateral plate mesoderm
Initial cardiac structure?
“Blood islands” that will form blood vessels
These unite, form endothelial-lined tube surrounded by myoblasts: cardiogenic region
At the cranial end these blood islands are primitive heart tube
Intraembryonic cavity over it: later forms pericardium
Dorsal aortae (eventually become descending aorta): other blood islands appear, forming a pair of longitudinal vessels. Develop concurrently with endocardial heart tubes and form a cranial connection with the tubes prior to folding
How is the primitive heart tube formed?
- 2 tubes bilaterally of trilaminar disc at ~day18
- embryo folds laterally so that the caudal regions of the paired cardiac tube merge (except at the caudalmost end)
- cephalocaudal folding brings the tube into the thoracic region: buccopharyngeal membrane pulled forward, heart and pericardial cavity move to thorax
- by day 22 (w4) the primitive heart tube can contract and push blood cranially from sinus venosus
- myocardium thickens, epicardium and pericardium form
What happens at the caudal pole?
Venous drainage
What happens at the cranial pole?
Blood pumped out of first aortic arch
What is the transverse pericardial sinus?
Connect both sides of the pericardial cavity when the dorsal mesocardium disappears
Space behind outflow vessels and in front of inflow vessles (arteries in front of veins)
How are regions of the heart tube tethered?
Cranially and caudally by inflow and outflow
Inflow through sinus venosus and outflow through aortic roots
Sufficient for early embryo
In which direction does the heart tube fuse?
Begins cranially, extends caudally
Facilitated by apoptosis
What happens following fusion of the heart tube?
Constrictions and dilations appear
Form the regions of the early embryonic heart
Blood flows from caudal to cranial. What are the structures through which blood passes, from caudal to cranial?
Sinus venosus Primitive atrium Primordial ventricle Bulbis cordis Truncus arteriosus Aortic roots
What is cardiac looping and when does it occur?
Continued elongation as cells added to cranial end. Allows the tube to form a more complex structure more associated with the adult heart
~Day23 to day 28 (week 4, completed by week 5)
Summary of cardiac looping?
- Straight heart tube begins to elongate with simultaneous growth in the bulbus cordis and primitive ventricle.
- This forces the heart to bend ventrally and rotate to the right, forming a C-shaped loop with convex side situated on the right.
- The ventricular bend moves caudally and the distance between the outflow and inflow tracts diminishes.
The atrial and outflow poles converge and myocardial cells are added, forming the truncus arteriosus.
Hence an S-shape is formed with the first bend of the ‘S’ being the large ventricular bend while the bend at the junction of the atrium and sinus venosus forms the second ‘S’ bend.
Looping of cephalic portion?
Ventrally, caudally and to the right
Looping of cranial portion?
Dorsally, cranially and to the right
What drives the looping process?
The limiting of space
What is the main achievement of looping?
Puts inflow and outflow cranially, with inflow behind outflow
Atrium communicates with ventricle via atrioventricular canal (expansion of AV junction)
What happens to the bulbus cordis during looping?
Bulbis cordis is narrow
Except proximal 1/3–>forms trabeculated part of RV
Midportion (conus cordis) forms ventricular outflow tracts
Distal portion (truncus arteriosus) forms roots and the proximal aorta & pulmonary trunk
Area between the BC and the ventricle becomes the interventricular foramen
Completion of looping?
Smooth walled heart tube begins to form primitive trabeculae
BC smooth walled temporarily
Primitive ventricle now primitive left ventricle
Trabeculated proximal 1/3 of BC is primitive right ventricle
Result of looping allows partitioning:
Primordium of RV put closest to outflow tract
Primordium of LV put closest to inflow tract
Atrium dorsal to BC (i.e. inflow dorsal to outflow)
AV canal narrows junction between A and V zones, but is still continuous at this point
What is the role of the sinus venosus in atrial development?
Receives blood from the placenta, yolk sac and body (umbilical, vitelline and common cardinal veins)
Has two sinus horns (L and R): initially same size
The entrance shifts right when the right shunt of blood occurs (w4-5)
Left sinus horn recedes: R. umbilical and L. vitelline veins are obliterated
Enlarging R. atrium absorbs the R. sinus horn
How does the right atrium develop?
Most of primitive atrium and the right horn of the sinus venosus
Receives venous drainage from venae cavae (body) and coronary sinus (heart)
How does the left atrium develop?
A small portion of the primitive atrium absorbs the proximal parts of the pulmonary veins
Receives oxygenated blood from the lungs
What are the auricles?
Rough remainders of the primordial atria, present in the adult heart
What is the oblique pericardial sinus and where can it be located on a prosection?
Formed as the left atrium expands and absorbs the pulmonary veins
With the heart in the palm of the hand, fingers are in a “cul de sac”
Describe the foetal circulatory shunts (more in next lecture)
Lungs are non functional, so circulation bypasses these: this must change immediately after birth. This is to avoid oxygenated blood damaging the developing lung tissue
Process:
1. Oxygenated blood from mother enters placenta
2. In foetus, bypasses liver and travels to IVC where it enters the RA
3. Bypasses the RV, PT, goes straight to LA, drains into LV, then into aorta
4. Most blood passes through ductus arteriosus into descending aorta, mixes with blood from proximal aorta
5. Oxygenated blood circulates around foetal body, then returns to the placenta when the oxygen has been used to be returned to the mother
Describe the two mechanisms of blood vessel development
- Vasculogenesis: vessels grow through coalescence of angioblasts
- Angiogenesis: vessels sprout from existing vessels (major vessels)
Guided by VEGF
Aortic arches?
Early arterial system begins as a bilaterally symmetrical system of arched vessels, then remodelling creates major derivations
Creates 5 pairs of arches
Arches 1,2,3,4 and 6: each has its own cranial nerve and own artery
Why is there no aortic arch 5?
Aortic arch 5 has no derivatives in humans
Where are the aortic arches positioned?
Mesenchyme of pharyngeal arches
Terminate in the R and L dorsal aortae
Appear in a cranial to caudal sequence
4th aortic arch?
Right: proximal part of the right subclavian artery
Left: arch of the aorta
6th aortic arch?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
Right: right pulmonary artery
Left: left pulmonary artery and ductus arteriosus