Final answer:
In the final phase of development, mammalian heart cells may undergo apoptosis or express cardiac-specific transcription factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the final phase of development, at least some of the cells of a mammalian heart would most likely be undergoing apoptosis or expressing cardiac-specific transcription factors.
Apoptosis is a programmed cell death process that occurs in normal development when cells are no longer necessary or damaged. This process helps eliminate unneeded cells, enabling the formation of fully separated fingers and toes during embryonic development.
On the other hand, cardiac-specific transcription factors are expressed by the Hox genes and play a crucial role in initiating and terminating the expression of specialized cells and tissues during development.