Scientists have been studying limb regeneration of some animals for many years in hopes of replicating this natural process to mammals, specifically humans.
They have taken notes of how the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), a species of aquatic salamander, grows back its severed limb after an injury.
According to Harvard University's Science in the News website, the axolotl is not the only animal that is capable of regeneration. These animals also include flatworms and hydra that can regrow their entire bodies from only a tiny piece of their original selves.
But recently, researchers have come one step closer to unraveling the mystery of limb regeneration in the axolotl by discovering the differences in the molecular signature that promotes regeneration, according to Phys.org.
Is Human Limb Regeneration Possible?
A team of scientists led by James Godwin, Ph.D., of the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, found molecular differences that allow for limb regeneration in the axolotl while blocking it in the adult mammals and limits its regenerative ability.
"Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory have been relying on comparative biology to gain insights into human health since its founding in 1898," Dr. Hermann Haller, MDI Biological Laboratory's president, said that the comparative discoveries made by Godwin's team between axolotl and the mouse prove that learning from nature is as valid as it was from over a century ago.
Mammals do not regenerate their limbs but instead get scars at the site of the injury. The team is focused on why axolotl does not form scars and is capable of limb regeneration, unlike humans or mammals.
"Our research shows that humans have untapped potential for regeneration," Godwin said, according to Phys.org.
The team believes that solving the mystery of scar formation in mammals might unlock humans' potential for regeneration and prevent scarring to improve the quality of life for many people.
Alternative Signaling Pathway for Limb Regeneration
The team believes that the discovery of an alternative signaling pathway for limb regeneration could lead to regenerative medicine therapies for humans, according to Science Daily.
Limb regeneration could play a significant role in improving clinical outcomes for diseases in which scarring plays a key role in the pathology, like the heart, kidney, liver, and lungs.
Goldwin said that the recent discovery puts scientists one step closer to unlocking the mystery of limb regeneration in axolotl that will help in regeneration in humans.
As an immunologist, Goldwin is interested in the regeneration process because of its role in preparing the wound for repair after an injury. His current study opens the door to mapping critical nodes in toll-like receptors (TLRs), a class of proteins that allow for macrophages to recognize a threat and induce a pro-inflammatory response.
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