Stem Cell Fish Research Shows Heart Regeneration: Zebrafish re-grow damaged hearts, so perhaps humans could, too, experts say

Source: HealthDay News
Date: November 2, 2006

Summary:

New information about how the hearts of tiny zebrafish regenerate could help in developing new ways to treat heart damage in humans, say Duke University Medical Center scientists. They found that when a portion of a zebrafish's heart is removed, stem cells that form in the wound work with a protective cell layer that covers the wound to re-grow functional heart tissue. The Duke team also discovered that certain growth factors facilitate interactions between the stem cells and the protective cell layer.

Commentary: Maybe this finding will lead to further studies on using stem cells to regenerate heart tissue in other animals, and eventually pave the way for applications to treat heart disease in humans.