Axolotl Discovery Brings Us Closer Than Ever To Regrowing Human Limbs (sciencealert.com) 26
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: A team of biologists from Northeastern University and the University of Kentucky has found one of the key molecules involved in axolotl regeneration. It's a crucial component in ensuring the body grows back the right parts in the right spot: for instance, growing a hand, from the wrist. "The cells can interpret this cue to say, 'I'm at the elbow, and then I'm going to grow back the hand' or 'I'm at the shoulder... so I'm going to then enable those cells to grow back the entire limb'," biologist James Monaghan explains.
That molecule, retinoic acid, is arranged through the axolotl body in a gradient, signaling to regenerative cells how far down the limb has been severed. Closer to the shoulder, axolotls have higher levels of retinoic acid, and lower levels of the enzyme that breaks it down. This ratio changes the further the limb extends from the body. The team found this balance between retinoic acid and the enzyme that breaks it down plays a crucial role in 'programming' the cluster of regenerative cells that form at an injury site. When they added surplus retinoic acid to the hand of an axolotl in the process of regenerating, it grew an entire arm instead.
In theory, the human body has the right molecules and cells to do this too, but our cells respond to the signals very differently, instead forming collagen-based scars at injury sites. Next, Monaghan is keen to find out what's going on inside cells -- the axolotl's, and our own -- when those retinoic acid signals are received. The research is published in Nature Communications.
That molecule, retinoic acid, is arranged through the axolotl body in a gradient, signaling to regenerative cells how far down the limb has been severed. Closer to the shoulder, axolotls have higher levels of retinoic acid, and lower levels of the enzyme that breaks it down. This ratio changes the further the limb extends from the body. The team found this balance between retinoic acid and the enzyme that breaks it down plays a crucial role in 'programming' the cluster of regenerative cells that form at an injury site. When they added surplus retinoic acid to the hand of an axolotl in the process of regenerating, it grew an entire arm instead.
In theory, the human body has the right molecules and cells to do this too, but our cells respond to the signals very differently, instead forming collagen-based scars at injury sites. Next, Monaghan is keen to find out what's going on inside cells -- the axolotl's, and our own -- when those retinoic acid signals are received. The research is published in Nature Communications.
Discovery Brings Us Closer Than Ever (Score:1)
By analogy, I'm closer than ever to being a billionaire astronaut olympic sprinter.
Re: Discovery Brings Us Closer Than Ever (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Or a Human/Axolotl hybrid with tiny flippers instead of hands, as the case may be!
;-)
You've made another thoughtless comment. (Score:2)
By analogy, I'm closer than ever to being a billionaire astronaut olympic sprinter.
* Given your age, you are further than ever from being Olympic sprinter.
* Given your declining heath, you are further than ever from being an astronaut.
* People who become billionaires usually do so rapidly near the start of their careers. You are further than ever from the start of your career.
So, no, you are further than ever from being a billionaire, an astronaut, or an Olympic sprinter.
Re: (Score:2)
People who become billionaires usually do so rapidly near the start of their careers by inheriting a billionaire's fortune. - there, fixed it for you.
Theres hope (Score:3)
Re:Theres hope (Score:4, Funny)
Hey friend, don't be so hard on yourself. You have everything you need right now to become a villain from Spider-Man. All you really need is the desire to steal advanced technology and then abuse that technology to commit further acts of larceny. I believe in you.
Need a THIRD arm (Score:2)
Oh man... (Score:2)
...a third arm would really help out with my ski-boxing!
Re: Oh man... (Score:2)
Sadly, I don't think a third arm would help my harpsichord playing. I already can't handle the pedalboard on the organ with 2 legs, also. The 3rd leg would help for other activities, though.
Re: Need a THIRD leg (Score:2)
Not sure about the third arm, but I think the fashion industry would have a field day with a third leg !
One big problem (Score:2)
Our cell's response to this molecule is to build scar tissue, not regrow a limb.
We would have to try and reprogram our cells to do something entirely different than they do - regrow a limb - which is the hard part, I think.
Re: (Score:2)
Why axolotls? (Score:2)
They aren't the only animals capable of limb regeneration.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
They are the best at it. What animal are you thinking of? A fish?
Re: (Score:2)
They are the best at it. What animal are you thinking of? A fish?
I remember writing a version of that program when I was a kid!
How is a Time Lord different from a Starfish?
Re: (Score:2)
Various lizards, like iguanas.
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, and newts.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
They aren't the only animals capable of limb regeneration.
Correct. There are also Time Lords and Starfish.
Re: (Score:2)
Because Mark Zuckerberg was too busy to become a test subject for the experiment.
ScienceAlert article is wrong (Score:4, Informative)
They didn't discover that retinoic acid is a key molecule. I worked in a lab on regeneration decades ago .. and it was common knowledge that retinoic acid is a key player. The questions were surrounding how the heck it does its thing and why. This new research answers some of that.