Development of a methodology to characterize the dynamic biomechanical environment of the heart outflow tract of chicken embryos

The biomechanical environment of embryonic cardiac cells influences heart development, and its disruption is linked to congenital heart defects. This work developed an integrative, non-invasive methodology combining optical coherence tomography, physiological measurements, and computational fluid dynamics to quantify dynamic stresses and strains in the chick heart outflow tract (OFT). Using this approach, we characterized normal and altered biomechanical environments following outflow tract banding. Results reveal spatially and temporally heterogeneous mechanical forces that acutely change with intervention, suggesting a role in regulating morphogenesis. These findings advance understanding of biomechanical contributions to congenital heart disease.