Head region of a sea squirt tadpole stained to show the rudiment of the heart

Head region of a sea squirt tadpole stained to show the rudiment of the heart

Head region of a sea squirt tadpole stained to show the rudiment of the heart, which is composed of just 12 cells at this stage in development. Heart development in this simple chordate is conserved in vertebrates.

Photo courtesy of Professor Michael Levine