Post-Infarction Cardiomyocyte Regeneration Factor Found in Mice and Pigs

Human myocardium contains cardiac stem cells that can regenerate cardiomyocytes following loss of these cells from myocardial infarction (MI). However, such regeneration is not nearly robust enough to compensate for cell loss caused by MI. Therefore, investigators are seeking factors that could stimulate more vigorous “natural” regeneration.

An international team reports that the epicardium — the external epithelial layer of the heart — plays an important role in regeneration of myocardium following injury. Specifically, the researchers identified a molecule — FSTL1 — that is produced by epicardial cells. FSTL1 is important in embryonic development of the heart and continues to be produced in adulthood. However, following infarction, the epi…