The article details a comprehensive study that utilized spatial and single-cell transcriptomics alongside imaging to map the cellular and molecular landscape of the developing human heart between 5.5 and 14 postconceptional weeks. Researchers created a high-resolution transcriptomic map, identifying 31 coarse-grained and 72 fine-grained cell states organized into functional niches, and specifically explored the formation of the cardiac pacemaker-conduction system (CPCS), heart valves, and autonomic innervation. A key finding was the identification of a resident neuroendocrine chromaffin cell population in the fetal heart, suggesting a human-specific role in coordinating the organ's response to hypoxia. The study also characterized the heterogeneity of endothelial and mesenchymal cells within the cardiac valves and septum, offering a valuable, open-access resource for investigating the genetic causes of heart disease.

References:

• Lázár E, Mauron R, Andrusivová Ž, et al. Spatiotemporal gene expression and cellular dynamics of the developing human heart[J]. Nature Genetics, 2025: 1-16.