822-Pathological Barriers to In Vivo Cardiac Reprogramming

Paper Talk · Apr 20, 2026 · 17m

Researchers have developed a Perturb-seq platform to systematically identify and rank genetic barriers that prevent the conversion of fibroblasts into functional heart muscle cells following a heart attack. By screening 140 potential inhibitors in a living mouse model, the study pinpointed calreticulin (Calr) as the primary obstacle to successful cardiac regeneration. High levels of this protein in damaged heart tissue suppress calcium signaling, which in turn keeps a vital regenerative gene called MEF2C inactive. The team demonstrated that silencing Calr restores calcium levels and…