Introduction Heart Within the Chest Valves of the Heart Fibrous Skeleton Conduction Tissues Blood Supply to the Heart Annotated References References 3 Embryology of the Heart Abstract Introduction Origin of the Heart Tube Formation of the Cardiac Loop Cardiac Segments Development of the Venous Components Septation of the Atrial Chambers Atrioventricular Canal Further Development of the Ventricular Loop Outlet Segment Formation of Valves Conduction System Myocardial Vascularization and Formation of the Ventricular Walls Summary and Conclusions Annotated References References 4 Etiology of Congenital Cardiac Disease* Abstract Epidemiology of Heart Disease: Genes Versus Environment Cardiac Development: Key Concepts Single Gene Defects New Genetics of Congenital Heart Disease Conclusions Annotated References References 5 Myocardium and Development Abstract Early Myocardial Development Major Cell Types in the Heart Cardiac Regeneration Cardiomyocyte Development and Maintenance: From the Inside Out Contractility and Development-Specialized Machinery of the Cardiomyocyte Integration of Myocardial Cell Biology With Human Disease Annotated References References 6 Physiology of the Developing Heart Introduction Embryonic Circulation Autonomic Control Biophysical Properties of Fetal Myocardium Protein Components Fetoplacental Circulation Maturational Changes in the Early Fetal Heart Physiology of the Fetal Circulation in Health and Disease Functional Analysis of the Fetal Heart Global Cardiac Function Characteristic Circulatory Abnormalities in Pathologic Pregnancies Measurement of Fetal Volume Blood Flow Fetal Vascular Physiology Ventriculovascular Coupling