How the heart's ability to regrow is controlled
Molecular control of cardiac regenerative potential
This research looks at whether heat-producing tissues and their signals stop heart muscle cells from regrowing after birth and whether changing those signals might help adults heal after a heart attack.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11286630 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, researchers are using lab models (mainly mice and cell studies) to see how tissues that generate heat influence whether heart cells keep dividing after birth. They will examine known thermogenic signals such as thyroid hormone and adrenergic signaling and search for specific molecules that act between thermogenic organs and the heart. The team will test whether altering these signals changes heart repair after myocardial infarction in adult mice. Results will help reveal basic molecular switches that control heart regenerative ability.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had a heart attack or have heart muscle damage are the types of patients who could eventually benefit from therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: Patients who need immediate emergency care (for example ongoing heart attack requiring revascularization) or those with non-regenerative causes of heart problems are unlikely to benefit directly from these preclinical experiments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to boost heart repair after heart attacks by reawakening heart cell growth.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown that hormones and adrenergic signals can shut down heart cell division, and using thermogenic tissues in this context is a newer direction being tested in preclinical work.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Guo — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Huang, Guo
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.