Overview

• Preclinical study in Nature Cardiovascular Research shows PIEZO2 is essential for proper coronary artery morphogenesis in mice.
• Both absence and hyperactivation of PIEZO2 in endothelial cells produce narrow or misbranched vessels and trigger compensatory cardiac hypertrophy.
• Joint efforts with the Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience in Heidelberg and the Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology Platform in Berlin aim to replicate findings in human endothelial cells.
• Evidence indicates PIEZO2, silent after birth, may reactivate in adult hearts under pathological stress, suggesting a target for regenerative therapies.
• Cutting-edge tissue clearing and light sheet microscopy enabled detailed 3D mapping of developing coronary networks guided by PIEZO2.