Australian researchers have identified a gene in zebrafish that promotes heart muscle regenerationpromotes a heart attack. The team published their results in the journal “Science” and hopes that this gene could help patients who have survived a heart attack.
The Australian researchers claim that regeneration of the heart muscle will also be possible in humans in the future
The researchers summarize the results as follows: “We have identified a gene that enables heart muscle cells to divide even if you have had a heart attack. The gene begins to work when the heart urgently needs to regenerate and promotes cell division until the organ has completely regenerated. Unlike zebrafish, the human heart cannot heal itself after a heart attack. The genetic makeup of zebrafish and humans is 70% the same. The first test results are therefore promising because the gene could contribute to the development of new active ingredients and medicines and save lives.
Bob Graham, head of the division of molecular cardiology at the VCCR Institute of Biophysics in Australia, said: "The team has managed to identify a protein that essentially repairs the heart's damaged cells." What is particularly surprising is that the gene originally played no role in the formation of heart tissue. This indicates that regeneration after a heart attack occurs differently than the development of the heart in the embryo.
In contrast to zebrafish, the human heart muscle cannot regenerate
In contrast to zebrafish, which retain the ability to regenerate their heart throughout their life, the human heart is completely formed in the womb. The process is completed soon after birth and the cells can no longer reproduce. If the heart is damaged during life, the damaged cells die. The new gene gives researchers an important starting point for developing drugs for patients with one or more heart attacks.
