<p>➀ Researchers at the University of Houston have provided new insights into the basic process of heart development in utero, offering potential advancements in the treatment of heart disease.</p><p>➁ The study focuses on tunneling nanotube-like structures, which are long, thin membrane channels that connect cells.</p><p>➂ These structures physically connect cardiomyocytes in the myocardium to endocardial cells in the endocardium, facilitating long-distance intercellular communication essential for heart formation.</p>