Zebrafish& Heart Regeneration

• 03 Dec 2020

• Scientists at Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute have used Zebrafishmodel and identified genes that can promote heart regeneration.
• Scientists have identified the cellular communication network factor 2a (ccn2a), a gene that can promote heart regeneration by enhancing cardiomyocyte proliferation.
• Ccn2a promotes the innate regenerative response of the adult zebrafish heart and maybe a promising therapeutic target for humans.
• Zebrafish – a tiny freshwater fish barely 2-3 cm long can efficiently regenerate its damaged heart within a short time period.
• Found in South Asia, it is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name Danio.
• A zebrafish attracts developmental biologists due to its adequate regeneration capacity of almost all its organs, including the brain, heart, eye, spinal cord. This makes it a suitable research model for biomedical scientists.