Baby mice can re-grow damaged hearts
Newborn mice are found to have the ability to re-grow their damaged hearts.
This is proven in a test after scientists removed part of the heart tissue of several one-day-old mice.
Surprisingly, the mice's hearts completed regenerated in 21 days later, and the organs functioned normally.
But the regenerative potential disappeared when the mice were seven to 10 days old.
This finding, published in journal Science, has led to hope that if human beings can do the same.
"In principle, mechanisms exist in a mammalian heart for regeneration, but they’re somehow permanently switched off," said Eric Olson of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre.
Previous studies had revealed some amphibians and fishes can re-grow damaged heart tissue.
Olson, a professor and chairman of molecular biology, said the main goal now is to search for drugs or genes to "waken" this mechanism in adult mammals.
Source: Xinhua
Published Feb 28 2011
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