Transcriptional Regulation of Cardiac Development and Disease

Abstract

The heart is the first organ to form and function during embryogenesis. Early heart development involves complex biological signals, interactions, specification of myocardial progenitor cells, and heart tube looping. It leads to the formation of the four-chambered heart in mammals which, at birth, upon separation from the placental circulation, takes over to ensure the continuation of vital processes throughout life. The contribution of epicardial, endocardial, sinus venosus, and hematopoietic-derived cells to heart formation in development and cardiac repair is still controversial. Many transcriptional regulators involved in cardiac development and disease have been identified; however, their interactions and possible implications in cardiovascular diseases are not fully elucidated. Cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding the various aspects of the transcriptional regulation and identification of the distinct cell types involved in cardiac development and disease will help to translate the findings from basic science to applied therapeutic approaches. This Special Issue of International Journal of Molecular Science brings together the most recent advances in understanding the various aspects of cardiac development and disease and provides new insights into the transcriptional regulation and the complex biological processes underlying heart differentiation and pathology. Furthermore, the latest therapeutic perspectives in cardiovascular diseases are discussed.

Investigation of the Role of BMP2 and -4 in ASD, VSD and Complex Congenital Heart Disease

“…Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) require BMP signaling for the formation of different early cell types including the mesoderm [ 29 ], endoderm [ 30 ] and trophoblasts [ 31 ]. The role of BMP2 and BMP4 has also been demonstrated in the formation of the outflow tract [ 32 ].…”