Cell Fate Transition and Determination in Heart Development

Cardiogenesis originates from the cardiac mesoderm during early embryonic development. In the murine embryo, the transcription factor Eomes appears to activate the transcription of Mesp1 in the epiblast at E6.5. Mesp1 as a master regulator, induces a panel of cardiac specific transcription factors as well as other cardiac genes that are essential for heart development, which facilitates the specification of cardiac progenitors and formation of the cardiac field. Subsequently, cardiac morphogenesis involves cell fate transition including neural crest cell transition into mesenchymal cells during OFT (outflow tract) septation and EnMT (endothelial to mesenchymal transition) in atrio-ventricular canal development. The latest study demonstrates that the cell fate has been pre-determined prior to OFT septation into the base of aorta and pulmonary artery. In this review, we discuss the new findings of cardiac specification, cell fate transition and pre-determination with underlying regulatory mechanisms. Meanwhile, some special issues of controversy will be introduced.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2019.10.0001