How oxygen levels synchronize heart muscle and blood vessel development
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered that regional oxygen dips trigger the synchronized development of heart muscle and coronary vessels in zebrafish. These findings offer potential new pathways for treating human cardiovascular diseases.
Why it matters
Understanding these biological mechanisms could lead to innovative regenerative medicine therapies for heart failure patients.
edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Growing juvenile zebrafish heart with vessels represented in red, myocardium in blue and actively expanding cardiomyocytes in yellow. Credit: Harrison Lab During development, regional dips in oxygen levels serve as a signal that triggers the coordinated growth of heart muscle and coronary vessels, according to a study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine. The findings, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , could point toward innovative approaches for treating cardiovascular conditions that lead to heart failure.
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