Mending a Faltering Heart

Abstract

More people die every year from ischemic heart disease than any other disease. Because the human heart lacks sufficient ability to replenish the damaged cardiac muscles, extensive research has been devoted toward understanding the homeostatic and regenerative potential of the heart and to develop regenerative therapies for heart disease. Here, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of mechanisms governing heart growth during homeostasis or injury, including those from observational studies in humans and experimental research in animal models of cardiac regeneration. We also discuss how progress in stem cell biology and cellular reprogramming has enabled exciting new strategies for cardiac regeneration.