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Histology Atlas of the Developing Mouse Heart with Emphasis on E11.5 to E18.5

NIEHS, Cellular and Molecular Pathology Branch, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

Correspondence: Susan Elmore, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; e-mail:elmore{at}niehs.nih.gov. Address additional CD requests to: Beth Mahler:mahler1{at}niehs.nih.gov.

In humans, congenital heart diseases are common. Since the rapid progression of transgenic technologies, the mouse has become the major animal model of defective cardiovascular development. Moreover, genetically modified mice frequently die in utero, commonly due to abnormal cardiovascular development. A variety of publications address specific developmental stages or structures of the mouse heart, but a single reference reviewing and describing the anatomy and histology of cardiac developmental events, stage by stage, has not been available. The aim of this color atlas, which demonstrates embryonic/fetal heart development, is to provide a tool for pathologists and biomedical scientists to use for detailed histological evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections of the developing mouse heart with emphasis on embryonic days (E) 11.5–18.5. The selected images illustrate the main structures and developmental events at each stage and serve as reference material for the confirmation of the chronological age of the embryo/early fetus and assist in the identification of any abnormalities. An extensive review of the literature covering cardiac development pre-E11.5 is summarized in the introduction. Although the focus of this atlas is on the descriptive anatomic and histological development of the normal mouse heart from E11.5 to E18.5, potential embryonic cardiac lesions are discussed with a list of the most common transgenic pre- and perinatal heart defects. Representative images of hearts at E11.5–15.5 and E18.5 are provided in Figures 2–4, 6, 8, and 9. A complete set of labeled images (Figures E11.5–18.5) is available on the CD enclosed in this issue of Toxicologic Pathology. All digital images can be viewed online at https://niehsimages.epl-inc.com with the username "ToxPath" and the password "embryohearts."

Key Words: heart • embryo • mouse • in utero lethality

Abbreviations: AA, aortic arch arteries; • AAo, ascending aorta; • Ao, aortic trunk; • AoS, aortic sinuses; • AR, aortic root (vestibule); • ARL, accessory lobe of right lung; • AS, aortic sac; • ASD, atrial septal defect; • AVC, atrioventricular canal; • AVL, aortic valve leaflet; • AVS, atrioventricular septum; • AVSD, atrioventricular septal defect; • BC, bulbus cordis; • BVC, bulboventricular canal; • BVG, bulboventricular groove; • CAC, common atrial chamber; • CAP, mesenchymal cap of the SP; • CAVC, complete AV canal; • CL, compact layer; • COS, conal septum; • CT, cushion tissue; • DA, ductus arteriosus; • Dao, descending aorta; • DILV, double inlet left ventricle; • DoA, dorsal aorta; • DORV, double outlet right ventricle; • DPC, days post-conception; • E, esophagus; • E7.5–18.5, embryonic day 7.5–18.5; • ECCD, endocardial cushion defect; • H&E, hematoxylin and eosin; • IAC, inferior atrioventricular cushion; • IVC, inferior vena cava; • IVS, interventricular septum; • LA, left atrium; • LACV, left anterior cardinal vein; • LAVC, left atrioventricular canal; • LCCV, left common cardinal vein; • LLAC, left lateral atrioventricular cushion; • LSV, left superior vena cava; • LV, left ventricle; • MB, main bronchus; • MVL, mitral valve leaflet; • OCT, outflow tract cushion tissue; • OFT, outflow tract; • OP, ostium primum; • OS, ostium secundum; • PA, pulmonary artery; • PAA, pharyngeal arch artery; • PBS, phosphate buffered saline; • PC, pericardium; • PCC, pericardial cavity; • PLV, primitive (left) ventricle; • PM, papillary muscle; • PR, pulmonary root (infundibulum); • PRV, primitive right ventricle; • PT, pulmonary trunk; • PTA, persistent truncus arteriosus; • PVe, pulmonary vein; • PVL, pulmonary valve leaflet; • RA, right atrium; • RACV, right anterior cardinal vein; • RAVC, right atrioventricular canal; • RCCV, right common cardinal vein; • RLAC, right lateral atrioventricular cushion; • RPA, right pulmonary artery; • RSV, right superior vena cava; • RV, right ventricle; • SAC, superior atrioventricular cushion tissue; • SL, spongy layer; • SP, septum primum; • SS, septum secundum; • SSp, septum spurium; • SV, sinus venosus; • T, trachea; • TGA, transposition of great arteries; • Th, left and right thymic primordial; • TS, Theiler stage; • TSL, tricuspid septal leaflet; • TVL, tricuspid valve leaflet; • VS, vestibular spine; • VSD, ventricular septal defect; • VV, venous valve; • WAVC, wall of atrioventricular canal.

This version was published on June 1, 2009

Toxicologic Pathology, Vol. 37, No. 4, 395-414 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0192623309335060


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