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Fates Aligned: Origins and Mechanisms of Ventricular Conduction System and Ventricular Wall Development

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Abstract

The cardiac conduction system is a network of distinct cell types necessary for the coordinated contraction of the cardiac chambers. The distal portion, known as the ventricular conduction system, allows for the rapid transmission of impulses from the atrio-ventricular node to the ventricular myocardium and plays a central role in cardiac function as well as disease when perturbed. Notably, its patterning during embryogenesis is intimately linked to that of ventricular wall formation, including trabeculation and compaction. Here, we review our current understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development and maturation of these interdependent processes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the NIH Office of Director’s Pioneer Award LM012179-03, the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award 17EIA33410923, the Department of Pediatrics and Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, the Stanford Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and an endowed faculty scholar award from the Stanford Child Health Research Institute/Lucile Packard Foundation for Children (S.M.W). This was also supported by the Training Grant (T32) entitled Research Training in Myocardial Biology at Stanford (NIH 2 T32 HL094274) (W.R.G.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    William R. Goodyer & Sean M. Wu

  2. Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    William R. Goodyer

  3. Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Sean M. Wu

  4. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lokey Stem Cell Building, Room G1120A, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Sean M. Wu

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Correspondence to Sean M. Wu.

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W.R.G. declares that he has no conflict of interest. S.M.W. declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Goodyer, W.R., Wu, S.M. Fates Aligned: Origins and Mechanisms of Ventricular Conduction System and Ventricular Wall Development. Pediatr Cardiol 39, 1090–1098 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-018-1869-9

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