Scientists have, for the first time, captured how a heart begins to form in a developing mouse embryo. Using advanced imaging, they recorded heart cells as they moved and organized into a simple heart-like shape very early in development. This breakthrough could help experts understand how birth defects in the heart happen and lead to better treatments in the future.
Researchers at University College London’s Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health carried out the study. They grew mouse embryos in a lab dish and watched them develop for several days. By using a new technique called light-sheet microscopy, they were able to look deep inside the embryo without harming it. The microscope took pictures every two minutes for 40 hours, capturing the movements of cells in real time.
To follow the heart cells more clearly, scientists used special glowing markers. These markers made it easy to see how the cells moved and what shape they formed. Around day six of development, the first heart cells appeared. These cells began to move in set directions. Some went on to form the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart. Others moved to become the atria, the upper chambers.
The heart cells, called cardiomyocytes, did not move randomly. Instead, they followed organized paths that helped them form a tube. This tube is the early version of a heart. Later, it develops into a more complex structure with chambers and walls. If anything goes wrong during this stage, it can lead to serious heart problems in babies, such as holes in the heart or missing parts.
This discovery changes what scientists thought about early heart development. It was once believed that early heart formation was messy and unstructured. But the time-lapse videos show that the cells move with purpose and timing. The process starts earlier and is more organized than expected. It seems that heart cells follow hidden instructions that guide them to the right place.
The imaging method used, light-sheet microscopy, played a key role in the study. It allows scientists to watch living embryos in 3D for long periods of time. This method is gentle, so the embryos continue to grow normally while being observed. It opens the door for researchers to study how other organs form, such as the brain, lungs, and kidneys.
The findings may lead to better understanding of congenital heart defects. These are heart problems that are present at birth and affect many babies around the world. Knowing how and when these defects begin can help doctors find them earlier and develop better treatments. The study could also help in the field of regenerative medicine, where lab-grown tissues are used to repair damaged organs.
Researchers plan to continue studying how heart cells know where to go. They want to find out what signals or genes control this early movement. This knowledge could one day lead to new ways of treating or even preventing heart problems before a baby is born.
The study was published in the EMBO Journal, a well-known research journal. The research team hopes that their findings will lead to more detailed studies and help scientists build a complete picture of how the heart forms.
