Scientists use collagen "patches" to help the heart regenerate

When heart disease occurs, cardiomyocytes die because of a lack of blood supply But recently researchers at Stanford University in the United States found a protein that can be applied in the form of "patches" and help repair myocardial damage According to the study's lead author, pilar Ruiz Lozano, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Stanford University, the study opens the door to a new revolutionary treatment According to reports, there has not been any effective way to reverse the scar after heart disease In a study published this month in the journal Nature, a team led by Dr Ruiz Lozano found that the fstl 1 protein plays an important role in the regeneration of dead cardiomyocytes in pigs and mice As soon as 2017, researchers say, a clinical trial using the same treatment will begin The researchers were inspired by a previous study of zebrafish, which showed that the epicardium around the heart plays a role in the healing process after a heart attack In animal experiments, researchers found that fstl 1, a protein secreted by the epicardium, can help cardiomyocytes grow To determine how the body reacts to the protein after a heart attack, researchers loaded a bioprogrammed patch onto the protein and reintroduced it into damaged tissue in experimental pigs and mice The patch is composed of non cellular collagen, which can be modified to imitate the working mechanism of epicardium It is understood that since it does not need to be used with immunosuppressants, and its elasticity is similar to that of fetal heart, noncellular collagen is regarded as an ideal material, which can perfectly provide an environment for muscle regeneration, and can also regenerate new blood vessels where such patches are used Collagen is also absorbed by organs According to reports, cardiomyocytes can grow again in two to four weeks after receiving the patch, and finally the heart function of experimental pigs and mice has been restored According to Dr pilar Ruiz Lozano, many animals are very ill when using patches After being treated, they have been able to carry out heart transplantation Dr pilar Ruiz Lozano and his team wrote in the report: the next step is to test the effect of the patch on people It is understood that about 735000 people are affected by heart disease every year in the United States, and the data of millions of people dying of heart disease every year in the world may triple by 2030 (internship compiler: Chen Lurong reviser: Su Jiaorong)