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Can a failing heart heal itself? A surprising discovery sparks hope
This discovery offers new hope for millions suffering from heart failure, potentially paving the way for revolutionary treatments.
This innovation may lessen the need for permanent mechanical devices or heart transplants. Photo Credit: Qonversations via imagine.art
For years, scientists have believed the human heart has limited ability to regenerate its muscle cells, especially after severe damage. But groundbreaking research from Karolinska Institutet has uncovered an astonishing phenomenon: under certain conditions, the heart’s ability to repair itself can accelerate dramatically. This discovery, published in the journal Circulation, offers new hope for millions suffering from heart failure, potentially paving the way for revolutionary treatments.
An Unexpected Increase from Heart Pumps
Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which are mechanical pumps that promote blood circulation, are frequently used by patients with severe heart failure. Remarkably, scientists at the Karolinska Institutet found that hearts using these devices repair muscle cells six times faster than hearts in good health.
“This suggests that there might be a hidden key to kick-start the heart’s own repair mechanism,” says Olaf Bergmann, senior researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
The Mystery Behind Regeneration
The precise mechanism behind this regeneration remains unclear. “In the existing data, we cannot find an explanation for the effect, but we will now continue to study this process at a cellular and molecular level,” Bergmann explains further.
Hope for Groundbreaking Treatments
The results pave the way for the creation of therapies that can promote the heart’s innate capacity for repair. This innovation may lessen the need for permanent mechanical devices or heart transplants.
“This offers some hope that the recovery after a heart incident can somehow be boosted,” adds Bergmann.
Revealing Secrets with Cutting-Edge Techniques
Researchers employed a technique developed by Professor Jonas Frisén to gauge cell renewal rates. This method uses the decrease in radioactive carbon levels in cells—a result of the 1963 halt on nuclear tests—to accurately estimate the age of cells.
The Prospects for Heart Recovery
The finding suggests unrealised potential in heart healing, even if there are still many unsolved problems. Could this be the discovery required to fully realise the regenerative potential of the heart?
