Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit contributes to new study on compromised cardiac repair
Heidi Tschanz-Lischer and Rémy Bruggmann from the IBU contributed to an exciting study investigating the regenerative limits of the heart in Xiphophorus fish. The research reveals that unlike zebrafish, platyfish and swordtails lack a vascularized compact myocardium, which prevents efficient cardiac repair. Following injury, these species exhibit delayed inflammation and fail to form reinforcing tissue, leading to permanent scarring and pseudoaneurysm-like protrusions. These findings provide crucial insights into how evolutionary traits, such as immune response regulation, determine regenerative success or failure in vertebrates.
