Salamanders and zebrafish have something humans can only wish for: the ability of their heart muscle cells to regenerate on demand. While those animals can regrow their injured body parts, sufferers of heart attack are left to make do with a damaged organ. Scientists in Israel and Australia achieved a major breakthrough, uncovering the pathway to stimulate the division of heart muscle cells—a process that stops in human beings about one week after birth. The key agent is the hormone neuregulin, which successfully triggered the divisions of heart cells in mice. It is expected that research funding is quickly going to flock to that area, allowing humans to benefit from this discovery in about five years.
Growing a heart is becoming a possibility after medical research breakthrough
More of Today's Solutions
How this city in Illinois plans to stop homelessness by the end of the year
Less than a decade ago, more than 700 people were homeless in the small, 150,000 person city of Rockford, Illinois, about 90 miles northwest ...
Read MoreThis map shows what Indigenous land you live on
If you’ve attended a virtual lecture or presentation lately you may have noticed that the speakers initiated the event with an acknowledgment of which ...
Read MoreMore on beavers and rewilding
We decided to dust off and update this innovative solution to restoring habitats with the most industrious aquatic mammal: beavers. At The Optimist Daily, ...
Read More9 driving changes you can make to save more and burn less
Gas prices keep going up. While many of us can’t yet afford an electric vehicle, and we still need to get places, there are ...
Read More
