The heart is the first functional organ to develop in the human embryo. Its early activity is essential for moving blood, oxygen, nutrients, and wastes through the developing body. This lesson follows heart development from its embryonic origins through the formation of the primitive heart tube, its folding, and the development of major chambers and partitions.
All flashcards
What is the cardiogenic area?
It is the embryonic region near the head where heart development begins, in response in part to signals from the underlying endoderm.
How do endocardial tubes form?
Cardiogenic cords develop a hollow lumen, becoming endocardial tubes. The two tubes then move together and fuse into one primitive heart tube.
What are the five regions of the primitive heart tube, in head-to-tail order?
It contributes to the posterior portion of the right atrium, the SA node, and the coronary sinus.
When does heart looping occur, and what does it accomplish?
Looping occurs approximately between days 23 and 28. It folds the elongating heart tube into an S shape, helping align the developing chambers and major vessels.
Quiz questions
From which embryonic germ layer does the heart develop?Answer: Mesoderm
Around what day after fertilization does the heart begin beating?Answer: Around day 21 or 22.
Which sequence forms the primitive heart tube?Answer: Cardiogenic cords develop lumens, become endocardial tubes, and fuse.
Which primitive heart tube region gives rise to the left ventricle?Answer: The primitive ventricle.
What is a major result of heart looping during development?Answer: It positions the developing chambers and major vessels in an adult-like arrangement.
Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.