After a heart attack blocks a coronary artery, the heart may have a remarkable way to restore blood flow. A new Science study found that tiny capillaries can transform into larger, mature arteries that act as natural bypasses around damaged areas. Researchers called this process capillary arterialization and found that about 85.7% of cells in newly formed collateral vessels came from capillaries in their mouse models. When these vessels were removed, the injured hearts developed more scarring and lost significant function. The researchers also identified a molecular pathway involving VEGF-A, YY1, SETD1A and HES1 that drives this transformation. Brief VEGF-A delivery using modified mRNA boosted collateral vessel formation in adult mice, suggesting a potential future approach to heart repair.
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