Surprising Science — February 25, 2011

Mice Can Re-Grow Hearts

Scientists in the United States have found newborn mice can re-grow their own hearts. There’s no reason to believe that the same window would not exist in the human heart.

bigthinkeditor

A weekly collection of thought-provoking articles on tech, innovation, and long-term investing from Nightview Capital’s Eric Markowitz.

Scientists in the United States have found newborn mice can re-grow their own hearts. The mice had a large chunk of their heart removed a day after birth, only for the heart to restore itself within three weeks. Fish and amphibians are known to have the power to re-grow heart tissue, but the study in Science is the first time the process has been seen in mammals. The study suggests mammals also have such capacity for self-repair, if only for a limited time after birth. There’s no reason to believe that the same window would not exist in the human heart.

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