New research proves that the body's most important organ has natural regenerative abilities
The human heart is able to regenerate some of its muscle cells after a heart attack, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco have discovered. University of SydneyPioneering research, conducted in collaboration with Baird Institute for Applied Heart and Lung Research and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, shows that heart muscle cells can restart the regeneration process after damage, paving the way for new regenerative treatments in cardiovascular diseases.
It was once believed that the damage was irreversible
The results of the study, published in the scientific journal Traffic Research, refute the previous belief that parts of the heart damaged by a heart attack cannot be recovered.
The study's lead author, Dr. Robert Hume, from the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, explains that after a heart attack, many heart cells die, weakening its ability to pump blood. However, new research shows that, although the heart is left with scar tissue, it produces new muscle cells.
According to researchers, this regeneration process is still limited and not enough to completely prevent the serious consequences of a heart attack, but it opens up prospects for the development of therapies that can strengthen this natural ability of the heart, reports the Telegraph.
For the first time, the phenomenon is confirmed in humans
Until now, increased heart muscle cell division had only been observed in laboratory animal models. This study is the first to demonstrate this process in humans, confirming that the heart has a limited, but real, potential for regeneration.
Heart disease – the leading cause of death
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world. According to data from World Health Organization, they are responsible for about a third of global deaths.
Researchers point out that a heart attack can destroy up to a third of the heart's cells. Although modern treatments have significantly improved survival, many patients develop heart failure, a condition that is often treated only with a transplant.
In Australia, for example, around 144 patients live with heart failure, while only around 115 transplants are performed per year, creating a huge gap between needs and therapeutic opportunities.
New techniques pave the way for regenerative therapy
The study used heart tissue samples taken from living patients during bypass surgery for the first time. This innovative method, developed by Professors Paul Bannon and Sean Lal, allows for direct analysis of the regeneration process in the human heart.
According to Professor Lal, this new laboratory model could help identify the proteins and mechanisms that promote heart cell regeneration, paving the way for treatments aimed at restoring heart function after a heart attack.
Future prospects
The researchers' long-term goal is to develop therapies that enhance the heart's natural ability to regenerate. If this is achieved, it could open up new possibilities for treating heart failure and reducing the need for transplants.
The discovery is considered an important step towards cardiac regenerative medicine, bringing hope to millions of patients worldwide. /Telegraph/
