Developmental Changes in Ventricular Diastolic Function Correlate With Changes in Ventricular Myoarchitecture in Normal Mouse Embryos

Both genetic and epigenetic factors, such as abnormal hemodynamics, affect cardiac morphogenesis and the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease. Diastolic function is an important determinant of cardiac function, and tools for evaluating diastolic function in the embryo would be very valuable for assessment of cardiac performance. Using histological measurements of ventricular myoarchitecture, Doppler assessment of ventricular inflow velocities, and direct measurement of ventricular pressure, we investigated developmental changes of ventricular diastolic function in the mouse embryos from embryonic days 9.5 to 19.5. Regression analysis showed that peak velocity of A wave (an index of passive compliance) correlated with the area of trabecular myocardium in right ventricle (RV) ( r 2 =0.92, P r 2 =0.93, P r 2 =0.98, P r 2 =0.97, P