Fate and potency of pericytes in the development and the repair of the heart
Currently, we cannot repair damaged heart tissue, such as after a heart attack, which means the heart doesn’t work as effectively. Research investigating cells that could promote repair or help replace damaged heart tissue could reveal new ways to mend damaged hearts. Dr Giulio Cossu and colleagues have been awarded a three year grant to study cells that surround blood vessels, called ‘pericytes’. These cells help to support blood vessels in their growth and function, but may also be involved in heart development and repair. In this project, the researchers hope to understand more about how pericytes are created and how they contribute to the developing heart and the repair process in damaged hearts. This information may help them understand how pericytes form either new, working heart tissue or scar tissue, and which signals influence this process. This research could reveal ways to mend broken hearts, damaged by a heart attack, by promoting repair of healthy heart tissue or preventing scar tissue developing.
Project details
| Grant amount | £252,830 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 May 2014 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/14/1/30549 |
| Status | Complete |
