A Research team from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) led by Dr. Rajkumar P. Thummer, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences & Bioengineering, along with his research scholar Mr. Krishna Kumar Haridhasapavalan, have developed a ‘Recombinant Protein Toolbox’ comprising of six special proteins, which can be used to convert healthy skin cells or any somatic cells from an adult human body into heart cells, specifically cardiomyocytes. The heart cells created using this toolbox can have the same function as the original heart cells and can be used to regenerate damaged heart tissues. Importantly, this toolbox can facilitate the generation of autologous heart cells in a lab.
It is now well understood that a heart attack happens when a part of the heart is damaged. In some animals, like the Zebrafish, the heart can grow back after being damaged, but in humans, the heart usually gets scar tissue instead of growing back new heart cells. The only way to treat heart disease is with a new heart, but there aren't enough hearts available for transplantation, and it can be hard to make sure the new heart is accepted by the body. Scientists around the world are studying ways to convert regular body cells into heart cells, which could help with regenerating damaged hearts. The challenge is that cells can change in ways that could be harmful. So, scientists need to find a better, safer way to do this.
