The extracellular matrix undergoes spatiotemporal changes during cardiac development to support heart morphogenesis and plays a central role in promoting heart regeneration.
The developing heart is formed of two tissue layers separated by an extracellular matrix (ECM) that provides chemical and physical signals to cardiac cells. While deposition of specific ECM components creates matrix diversity, the cardiac ECM is also dynamic, with modification and degradation playing important roles in ECM maturation and function. In this Review, we discuss the spatiotemporal changes in ECM composition during cardiac development that support distinct aspects of heart morphogenesis. We highlight conserved requirements for specific ECM components in human cardiac development, and discuss emerging evidence of a central role for the ECM in promoting heart regeneration.
Derrick et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Heart development and repair. Extracellular matrix (ECM) was evaluated. The extracellular matrix undergoes spatiotemporal changes during cardiac development to support heart morphogenesis and plays a central role in promoting heart regeneration.