Abstract：
Congenital anomalies and acquired diseases of the coronary blood vessels are of great clinical relevance. The early diagnosis of these conditions remains, however, challenging. In order to improve our knowledge of these ailments, progress has to be achieved in the research of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control development of the coronary vascular bed. The aim of this chapter is to provide a succint account of the key elements of coronary blood vessel development, especially in the context of the role played by the epicardium and epicardial cellular derivatives. We will discuss the importance of the epicardium in coronary blood vessel morphogenesis, from the contribution of the epicardially derived mesenchyme to these blood vessels to its role as an instructive signaling center, attempting to relate these concepts to the origin of coronary disease.
摘要：
先天性冠状动脉血管异常和获得性疾病具有重要的临床意义。这些疾病的早期诊断仍然存在，然而,具有挑战性。为了提高我们对这些疾病的认识，在控制冠状动脉血管床发育的分子和细胞机制的研究方面必须取得进展。本章的目的是对冠状动脉血管发育的关键要素进行简要说明，特别是在心外膜和心外膜细胞衍生物所起的作用的背景下。我们将讨论心外膜在冠状动脉血管形态发生中的重要性，从心外膜间充质对这些血管的贡献到其作为指导性信号中心的作用，试图将这些概念与冠心病的起源联系起来。
