The cell's recycling centres turn out to help conduct the heartbeat

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that lysosomes — the tiny sacs that break down and recycle a cell's waste — also send signals that help control heart rhythm. The previously unknown signalling pathway, reported in Cardiovascular Research, operates in the heart's pacemaker cells and is linked to atrial fibrillation, a common rhythm disorder. Understanding it could open new ways to keep hearts beating steadily.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation