Cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases are the leading causes of death, morbidity, and disability worldwide. Despite the availability of medical and preventive interventions, damaged tissue regeneration is the only action that can restore proper organ function and reduce patient disability.

Tissue regeneration in complex organisms such as mammals is limited to skin, hair, nails, intestinal epithelium, bone tissue formation, and scar formation in damaged tissues. However, the human heart and central nervous system (CNS) cannot regenerate. This creates long-term heart damage or, in many cases, death when heart attacks occur, and neurological impairments in the CNS when neurons are damaged.

The ability of zebrafish to regenerate their heart, motoneurons, and spinal cord makes them an ideal model for research on organ, heart, and neuron regeneration. Scientists can study the ability of cardiac or neuronal tissue to repair itself after damage while the zebrafish remains alive.