Two research teams at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) have developed a pioneering technique in Spain to characterize the proteome of individual cardiomyocytes—the cells responsible for heart contraction.

The study, published in Genome Biology, shows that the transcription factor Myc, used in regenerative strategies, alters protein expression in each cell differently, generating a subpopulation of cardiomyocytes with regenerative potential.

According to study leaders Miguel Torres and Jesús Vázquez, the findings provide key insights into the mechanism of action of Myc at the level of individual cardiomyocytes and offer new opportunities for the development of future regenerative therapies.