August 10th, 2009
Until recently, Doctors have been unable to help damaged heart tissue heal itself after experiencing a heart attack.
During a heart attack, vessels that ordinarily disperses blood to the heart becomes obstructed, thereby preventing oxygen from passing through, this obstruction can permanently impair or kill the heart.
Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital are optimistic that they are advancing towards heart tissue regeneration in heart failure and attack patients. In turn, they hope that their progression will lead to aid for children who suffer from congenial heart defects.
In a study on mice, their research proved that neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a maturation component associated with the expansion of the heart and nervous system, that could one day become a prescription drug can initiate heart-muscle growth and recuperation.
Post birth, heart-muscle cells cease separating and multiplying. But the team of cardiologist researchers led by Dr. Khun and Bersell, have jump started the cell cycle with NRG1, thereby inducing the heart-muscle cells to divide and imitate themselves.
The NRG1 treatment given to the mice once a day for three days proved to increase heart pumping and they did not display traditional aftereffects of heart failure.
The study’s founders discovered that despite stem cell based efforts, their research suggests that stem cells are not required if differentiated heart-muscle cell stimulation is possible.
