Figure 3. Schematic presentation of cardiac genetic reprogramming in the fetal, adult, and failing heart.

A. The four-chambered fetal heart. The genes and miRNAs involved in normal development of the fetal heart are highlighted in the box. B. Representation of transverse sections of the adult heart with normal ventricular myocardium. Genes and miRNAs that are upregulated and downregulated during heart failure are highlighted in the box. C. Representative transverse sections of the failing heart with abnormal ventricular myocardium and hypertrophy. Genes and miRNAs that are upregulated and downregulated are highlighted in the box. D. Adaptive remodeling in the failing heart through re-activation of the fetal genetic programing to generate new cardiac cells through differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells and trans-differentiation of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes can be induced for the therapy of heart failure.