Understanding cardiomyocyte cell cycle regulation after birth is key to optimizing regenerative strategies for the heart post injury, yet poses multiple technical challenges, as evidenced by recent studies that have arrived at divergent conclusions. In a recent publication in Cell, Alkass et al undertook multiple approaches to examine cardiomyocyte cell cycle regulation in the first 3 weeks aft...

The study of gene regulation in cardiac myocytes requires a reliable in vitro model. However, monolayer cultures used for this purpose are typically not exposed to electrical stimulation, though this has been shown to strongly affect cardiomyocyte gene expression. Based on pacemakers for clinical use, we developed an easy-to-use portable system that allows the user to perform electro-stimulatio...

Cardiomyocyte Ca2+ dictates cardiac contraction via excitation–contraction coupling (ECC) and excitation–transcription coupling. Adaptation to these processes also majorly contributes enhanced contractile function capacity following exercise training. Cytoplasmic release controls sarcomeric contraction, with important modulation by the voltage-sensitive plasma membrane L-type channel Ryanodine ...