A Gata4-Loxl2 axis controls ECM remodeling to enable scar-free spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish.

Gata4-Loxl2b axis enables scar-free spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish by regulating ECM remodeling.

• Why it matters: Understanding how zebrafish avoid fibrosis during spinal cord repair could reveal targets to improve regeneration in mammals, where scar formation impedes recovery.
• What they did: The study used injury models and molecular analyses to show that Gata4 is induced in ERGs, suppresses ECM-related genes, and controls Loxl2b expression, with pharmacological inhibition rescuing regeneration.
• The result: Disrupting Gata4 or Loxl2b impairs tissue bridging and motor recovery, while inhibiting Loxl2b restores ECM organization, highlighting a pathway that could inform regenerative therapies.