Human hearts can regrow muscle after a heart attack, Aussie study finds
Technology
Australian researchers have discovered that our hearts might be able to regrow some muscle after a heart attack—something researchers previously thought was not possible.
Using living heart tissue from patients during bypass surgery, the team found evidence of new muscle cells being produced after a heart attack.
Why this matters for the future
Heart attacks usually leave behind damaged tissue that doesn't work well, but this study spotted proteins linked to cell growth.
Dr. Robert Hume called it "new possibilities," though he admits natural regrowth isn't enough yet.
Professor Sean Lal hopes these findings could lead to treatments that help hearts heal better and even reverse heart failure someday.