Macrophages are required for neonatal heart regeneration

Myocardial infarction (MI) leads to cardiomyocyte death, which triggers an immune response that clears debris and restores tissue integrity. In the adult heart, the immune system facilitates scar formation, which repairs the damaged myocardium but compromises cardiac function. In neonatal mice, the heart can regenerate fully without scarring following MI; however, this regenerative capacity is lost by P7. The signals that govern neonatal heart regeneration are unknown. By comparing the immune response to MI in mice at P1 and P14, we identified differences in the magnitude and kinetics of monocyte and macrophage responses to injury. Using a cell-depletion model, we determined that heart regeneration and…

• WF
  Welch Foundation

  Award: 1-0025
• AH
  American Heart Association
• UO
  University of Queensland
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: U01-HL-100401, HL-077439, HL-100401, HL-111665, HL093039