Biological pacemaker dogma challenged as TBX18 fails and Hcn2 delivers

Researchers at Amsterdam UMC have discovered that the transcription factor TBX18 is toxic and ineffective as a biological pacemaker, while the ion channel Hcn2 shows promise. This finding challenges long-standing assumptions in cardiac research.
Why it matters
This study corrects a decade-old scientific misconception, potentially redirecting future research toward safer and more effective biological heart therapies.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
The report is a straightforward summary of a peer-reviewed scientific study without subjective framing.
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