Researchers find protein 'switch' central to heart cell division
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 - 16:31
in Health & Medicine
In the heart muscle cell above, the arrows show an early sign of replication. In a study that began in a pair of infant siblings with a rare heart defect, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have identified a key molecular switch that regulates heart cell division and normally turns the process off around the time of birth. Their research, they report, could advance efforts to turn the process back on and regenerate heart tissue damaged by heart attacks or disease.