Roles of cardiac neural crest cells in cardiovascular development and associated congenital defects-an integrated review

Abstract

The development of the cardiovascular system is a highly intricate process that encompasses various types of cells and communication pathways. During embryonic development, specific cells differentiate and organize to form complex structures of the heart and blood vessels. An important group of cells involved in this process is called cardiac neural crest cells. These cells originate from the dorsal neural tube and migrate to the circumpharyngeal ridge, pharyngeal arches 3–6, and invade the developing heart through the cardiac outflow tract. Once they reach their destination, cardiac neural crest cells contribute to the formation of important structures in the cardiovascular system. These structures include the aortic arch arteries, the aorticopulmonary septum, cardiac valves, the heart conduction system, cardiomyocytes, and smooth muscle cells found in the middle layers of the aortic arch arteries. Disruptions in the migration, proliferation, or differentiation of cardiac neural crest cells during embryonic development, as seen in conditions such as DiGeorge syndrome, can lead to a variety of congenital heart defects. These defects encompass a wide range of abnormalities, including Tetralogy of Fallot, outflow tract abnormalities, persistent truncus arteriosus, double outlet right ventricle, interrupted aortic arch, ventricular septal defects, abnormalities of the aortic arch, as well as abnormalities in the function of semilunar valves, myocardium, and cardiac conduction system.