During development of the endocardial plexus, the heart becomes rotated almost 180 degrees ventrally about a transverse axis. Due to this the visceral mesoderm, together with the cardiogenic plate, moves to become positioned ventrally and caudally to the foregut; it bounds the foregut on its ventral side. The initially dorsal pericardial cavity moves ventrally. The previously cranial venous pole (venous inflow) of the heart is shifted caudally and the arterial pole (outflow tract) is shifted cranially.