Aorticopulmonary septum

The aorticopulmonary septum (also called the spiral septum, or aortic septum in older texts) is developmentally formed from neural crest, specifically the cardiacneural crest, and actively separates the aorta and pulmonary arteries and fuses with the interventricular septum within the heart during heart development. The aorticopulmonary septum (also called the spiral septum, or aortic septum in older texts) is developmentally formed from neural crest, specifically the cardiacneural crest, and actively separates the aorta and pulmonary arteries and fuses with the interventricular septum within the heart during heart development. In the developing heart, the truncus arteriosus and bulbus cordis are divided by the aortic septum. This makes its appearance in three portions. The actual mechanism of septation of the outflow tract is poorly understood, but is recognized as a dynamic process with contributions from contractile, hemodynamic, and extracellular matrix interactions. Misalignment of the septum can cause the congenital heart conditions tetralogy of Fallot, persistent truncus arteriosus, dextro-Transposition of the great arteries, tricuspid atresia, and anomalous pulmonary venous connection. This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 514 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)