Advances in the knowledge of the molecular and cellular bases of congenital heart diseases. Part 1 of 2: Cardiac morphogenesis

Abstract

Congenital heart diseases are the most common congenital defect in humans. Many studies indicate that the cardiac development is tightly regulated by different cell signaling pathways and genetically controlled morphological events. The identification of new genes involved in the cardiogenesis process is very useful in order to know the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the broad phenotypic spectrum of congenital heart disease is generated. An updated bibliographic review was carried out, with the aim of identifying the most recent advances in the knowledge of the molecular and cellular bases of congenital heart disease. This knowledge allows a more effective classification of these congenital defects and a future optimization of the individualized treatment for each patient, in addition to offering possible specific and susceptible points of intervention that would allow the prevention of some of these more frequent congenital defects in humans.