Single cell transcriptomic analyses of the dynamic local and systemic response to cardiac injury in mice and zebrafish [zebrafish]

Mice respond to myocardial infarction (MI) by generating a fibrotic scar in the heart. This is accompanied by systemic inflammation after the MI resolves. In contrast, zebrafish can fully regenerate their heart after heart injury. To further investigate the divergent species’ responses to cardiac injury, single cell transcriptomic analyses were performed on the heart, blood, liver, kidney, and pancreatic islets. Upon heart cryoinjury, cells from multiple organs (heart, liver, pancreas, and whole kidney marrow) were isolated for scRNA-seq at 1 and 7 days post injury together with the uninjured controls.