Immune Cell Regulation of Zebrafish Heart Regeneration

Zebrafish possess a remarkable capacity to regenerate cardiac tissues after injury, offering a powerful model to dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving heart regeneration. Immune cells play distinct and context-dependent roles during regeneration, from debris clearance and inflammation resolution to modulation of cell proliferation and fibrosis. Here, we review the distinct contributions of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphoid cells during zebrafish heart regeneration, with a focus on their temporal coordination and regulatory signaling pathways. Understanding proregenerative immune-mediated mechanisms may identify therapeutic targets to enhance cardiac repair in disease contexts, such as myocardial infarction and heart failure.