Morphogen Gradients in the Development of the Heart and of the Vascular System

Morphogen gradients are the spatial distributions of signaling molecules (morphogens) that diffuse from a localized source across entire axes of an embryo or tissue. In this article, we have analyzed the role of morphogen gradients in the development of the heart and of the vascular system. Morphogen gradients provide the essential positional information that directs stem cells to differentiate, migrate, and assemble into the complex, four-chambered mammalian heart. In the meantime, morphogen gradients provide positional information and direct the differentiation, migration, and branching of endothelial and hematopoietic precursors. By interpreting the concentration of specific signaling molecules, progenitor cells adopt distinct vascular identities, such as arteries, veins, or capillaries.