Why zebrafish can regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot

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Other: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Why can zebrafish regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot?

A heart attack will leave a permanent scar on a human heart, yet other animals, including zebrafish, can clear cardiac scar tissue and regrow damaged muscle as adults. New research by University of Utah biologists sheds new light on how zebrafish heal heart tissue by comparing how this species responds to heart injury with medaka, a fish species that cannot regenerate cardiac tissue.