Mending a broken heart: Two types of scars in injured cardiac tissue, two paths to healing

Not all scars are created equal. That’s the conclusion of a new study by Weizmann Institute of Science researchers: They found that two distinct types of scars, referred to as “hot” and “cold,” can form in the diseased heart, and that these two types call for entirely different treatments. As reported today in Cell Systems, the Weizmann study may lead to innovative therapies for preventing or treating heart diseases, and it opens a new line of research on fibrosis—the development of scar tissue in response to injury or during aging—in a variety of other organs.