Key protein could help to keep the heart in rhythm

Cardiac patches stimulate regeneration, improve function after heart attack

bianjie submitted, created time 1 year 5 months (www.childrenshospital.org)

When human hearts are injured, as during a heart attack, healthy tissue normally can't regrow. Researchers now demonstrate in rats that a sponge-like patch, soaked in a compound called periostin and placed over the injury, can not only get heart cells to begin dividing and making copies of themselves again, but also improves heart function. Their findings appear in the July 15 online edition of Nature Medicine.

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