Half-hearted: New insight into why the heart doesn't develop properly in some children
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 11:20
in Biology & Nature
Investigators have found evidence that the gene Ccdc117 supports the rapid growth of precursor cells needed for proper development of right-sided heart structures. It does so by promoting transfer of iron-sulfur compounds to enzymes crucial for DNA replication and repair. Silencing Ccdc117 impedes cell growth, which may prevent heart structures from developing properly.