Towards Direct Reprogramming of Cardiac Cells to Induce Regeneration in the Heart

Researchers have for some years proposed reprogramming of scar tissue cells in the injured heart as a way to produce a regrowth of healthy tissue, an outcome that does not normally occur. The heart is one of the least regenerative organs in mammals, and injury produces scarring and loss of function. A great deal of effort has gone towards the establishment of cell therapies to treat heart injuries, with some limited success, but reprogramming of native cells may prove to be a better option in the long term. As noted here, however, there is a great deal of work left to accomplish between the present state of the art and a future in which scar tissue in the heart can be safely reprogrammed into functional muscle. The heart is composed of different types of cells, and cardiac function is carefully regulated, not only by cardiomyocytes, but also by other cells, such as vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Cardiomyocytes account for approximately 30% of all cells in the heart, and at least 50% of the remaining cells are non-cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes are terminally differentiated cells with no potential for self-renewal; cardiomyocytes that become necrotic due to myocardial infarction, heart failure, or other cardiac diseases are therefore replaced by proliferating fibroblasts. This situation results in scarring of the affected site due to the formation of fibrotic tissue. These fibrotic changes reduce the cardiac systolic function, and arrhythmia caused by sca...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs