Fates Aligned: Origins and Mechanisms of Ventricular Conduction System and Ventricular Wall Development.

The cardiac conduction system is a network of distinct cell types necessary for the coordinated contraction of the cardiac chambers. The distal portion, known as the ventricular conduction system, allows for the rapid transmission of impulses from the atrio-ventricular node to the ventricular myocardium and plays a central role in cardiac function as well as disease when perturbed. Notably, its patterning during embryogenesis is intimately linked to that of ventricular wall formation, including trabeculation and compaction. Here, we review our current understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development and maturation of these interdependent processes.