Cardiac growth I: Cardiomyocyte proliferation
Résumé
Efficient contraction of the heart depends on the size and oriented architecture of the myocardium. This is severely compromised by myocardial infarction or in cardiomyopathies. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying heart growth has attracted much attention over the past decade, after the demonstration that the mammalian heart has some potential to regenerate, thus raising hopes that heart repair may become a reality. The mechanisms of cardiac growth during development have been well studied in the mouse model, taking advantage of sophisticated genetic engineering and new tools for tracking cell lineages and behaviour. We discuss the current view of the intrinsic regulation of cardiomyocyte behaviour, as well as how it is modulated by interplay with other cardiac cell types or with the environment. Such fundamental knowledge is important for understanding the origin of congenital heart defects and for the development of novel strategies of heart repair.