Extra Vinculin Keeps Heart Cells Shapely, Keeps Aging Hearts in Shape

A structural protein called vinculin reinforces the heart’s extracellular scaffolding. It also helps the heart’s contractile proteins stay organized, so that heartbeats stay strong. But the reasons behind vinculin’s ability to provide these benefits remain poorly understood. To clarify vinculin’s role in heart health—and hopefully illuminate potential pharmaceutical interventions—scientists based at the University of California, San Diego, have studied the eff