The pacemaking and conduction system (PCS) is vital for generating and synchronizing the heart beat.  Dysfunction of this system can be a direct cause of cardiac conduction disturbance, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. A wealth of information has been collected over many years on the unique histological, morphological and phenotypic characteristics of specialized cardiac tissues.  The cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern development of the PCS are now starting to be understood.

This book draws together contributions from an international and interdisciplinary group of experts working on both basic and clinical aspects of cardiac development. It features reviews of the structure and function of the developing PCS, discussion of the molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating embryological development of this system and studies on the fundamental basis of PCS pathology.  The book also considers how novel therapeutic interventions based on understanding of the developmental biology of cardiac pacemaking and conduction tissues might ultimately impact on clinical medicine.

Derek J. Chadwick andJamie A. Goode are editors forDevelopment of the Cardiac Conduction System and other scientific titles.

Chair's Introduction (R. Marwald).

The morphology of the cardiac condunction system (R. Anderson and S. Ho).

Development of the cardiac conduction system: a matter of chamber development (A. Moorman and V. Crhistoffels).

Mouse models for cardiac conduction system development (A. Wessels,et al.).

Developmental transitions in cardiac conduction (M. Watanabe,et al.).

Gap junctional connexins in developing mouse cardiac conduction system (L. Miquerol,et al.).

His-Purkinje lineages and development (R. Gourdie,et al.).

The role of neural crest and epicardium-derived cells in conduction system formation (A. Gittenberger-de Groot,et al.).

Induction and patterning of the Purkinje fibre network (T. Mikawa,et al.).

The oldest, toughest cells in the heart (R. Thompson,et al.).

Transcriptional regulation in the mouse atrioventricular conduction system (A. Edwards,et al.).

Pattterning of the mouse conduction system (S. Rentschler,et al.).

Clinical pathology of the cardiac conduction system (S. Ho).

Cardiac conduction and arrhythmia: insights from Nkx2:5 mutations in mouse and humans (P. Jay,et al.).

The genetic origin of atrio ventricular conduction disturbance in humans (D. Benson).

Defects in cardiac conduction system lineages and malignant arrhythmias: developmental pathways and disease (T. St. Armand et al).

Final general discussion.

Index of contributors.

Subject index.