Zebrafish is known for their ability to regenerate heart cells. After a heart injury their heart cells, cardiomyocytes, are able to divide and instead of scaring new cardiac muscle is formed. Researchers have found that there's a specific subset of cardiomyocytes within the zebrafish that enhances their regenerative ability. This subset of cardiomyocytes was marked by the sox10 gene. The researchers next step is "find out whether the absence of such sox10 cell population in mammals could explain why their heart does not generate well"(Mercader 2019).
Sox10 gene is critical in the formation of tissue and organs. If the presence of this gene is the reason why vertebrates like Zebrafish can have such amazing regenerative ability maybe we can find a way to incorporate the gene in humans.
Links
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(19)31229-X?
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(19)31229-X?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191023121838.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191023121838.htm
Very interesting article Jeannie! I did not know that zebrafish had cardiomyocytes that could regenerate after injury. I wonder if this trait was a genetic mutation that improved life for the fish, or if it is a vestigial trait found in other animals.
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