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Profound cardiac damage in the mammalian heart, such as a myocardial infarction, results in a substantial depletion of cardiomyocytes, which are not naturally replenished. This loss of contractile cells and the limited regenerative capacity of the adult mammalian heart stand as prominent contributors to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. In stark contrast, zebrafish exhibit remarkable efficiency in repairing injured hearts. Following injury, zebrafish stimulate cardiomyocyte proliferation until all lost cardiomyocytes are successfully replaced.

Within our research group, we are driven to unravel the intricate molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern cardiomyocyte dedifferentiation, proliferation, and maturation within the zebrafish heart. To pursue this endeavor, we have engineered innovative tools, including spatial transcriptomics (TOMO-seq) and an ex vivo cardiac slice culture system.

In this seminar, I will showcase recent breakthroughs from our zebrafish studies and explore their potential implications for the regeneration of the mammalian heart.