How a specific support cell helps zebrafish regrow heart tissue
Characterization of hapln1a positive cells during zebrafish heart regeneration
This work looks at a type of support cell in zebrafish hearts to help find ways for people with heart damage to regrow heart muscle.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314579 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses zebrafish, which naturally regrow heart tissue, to study a special group of epicardial support cells that express hapln1a. Researchers follow these hapln1a+ cells during development and after heart injury using single-cell RNA sequencing and CRISPR-based tools to see how they interact with heart muscle cells and blood vessels. By mapping cell types and testing what happens when these cells are altered, the team aims to identify signals that encourage heart muscle to divide and repair. Although the experiments are done in fish, the goal is to reveal pathways that could be targeted to help people with heart damage in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have lost heart muscle from a heart attack or who have heart failure are the populations that might eventually benefit, though this grant does not enroll patients.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or surgical options will not get direct benefit from this laboratory zebrafish research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new biological signals or cell types that researchers could target to stimulate human heart repair after injury.
How similar studies have performed: Zebrafish are a well-established model for heart regeneration and prior work has identified epicardial signals that support repair, but focusing on hapln1a+ cells with single-cell profiling is a newer and more detailed approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Jinhu — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Wang, Jinhu
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.