Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Simultaneous Assessment of Cardiomyocyte DNA Synthesis and Ploidy: A Method to Assist Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Regeneration and Turnover
Published on: May 23, 2016
Cardiomyocyte renewal in the human heart: insights from the fall-out
Eniko Lázár1, Hesham A Sadek2,3, Olaf Bergmann1,4
1Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Berzelius väg 35, Stockholm SE 171 65, Sweden.
Abstract:
The capacity of the mammalian heart to regenerate cardiomyocytes has been debated over the last decades. However, limitations in existing techniques to track and identify nascent cardiomyocytes have often led to inconsistent results. Radiocarbon (14C) birth dating, in combination with other quantitative strategies, allows to establish the number and age of human cardiomyocytes, making it possible to describe their age distribution and turnover dynamics. Accurate estimates of cardiomyocyte generation in the adult heart can provide the foundation for novel regenerative strategies that aim to stimulate cardiomyocyte renewal in various cardiac pathologies.

