Coronary vessel development: the epicardium delivers.

Coronary artery disease accounts for 54% of all cardiovascular disease in the United States. Understanding how coronary vessels develop is likely to uncover novel drug targets and therapeutic strategies that will be useful in directing the repair or remodeling of coronary vessels in adults. Recent insights have identified the importance of cells derived from the proepicardium and epicardium in the formation of coronary vessels. This article reviews the basic steps in coronary vessel development, the molecules implicated in these steps, and the pressing questions awaiting answers.