Are COVID-19-linked arrhythmias caused by viral damage to the heart's pacemaker cells? - EurekAlert

The SARS-CoV-2 virus can infect specialized pacemaker cells that maintain the heart’s rhythmic beat, setting off a self-destruction process within the cells, according to a preclinical study co-led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyteria…

image: SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein (green) staining in the pacemaker cells (red) of SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters. The nuclei of the cells are stained blue.view more  Credit: Dr. Shuibing Chen. The SAR… [+4666 chars]

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