Heart disease discovery

Researchers uncover hidden mechanism behind congenital heart disease

August 4, 2026
1:05 am

Congenital heart disease affects approximately two in every 100 newborns globally. But why does it occur? An important part of the answer may lie in a previously unknown mechanism on the surface of our cells. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen identified this mechanism in a new study.

The study, “TAK1 operates at the primary cilium in non-canonical TGFB/BMP signaling to control heart development,” was published in PLOS Biology.

“We have discovered a new communication system on the exterior of the cell that is crucial for the proper formation of the heart during embryonic development. This finding changes our understanding of how congenital heart defects arise. You could say that we have identified an important cog in a highly complex machine,” says Lars Allan Larsen, an expert in congenital heart disease and professor at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Researchers uncover hidden mechanism behind congenital heart disease

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