The ability to regrow limbs like many non-mammalian species, from worms to lizards, has been a holy grail of regenerative medicine. Now, scientists at Texas A&M have created a specially-engineered serum which shifts “the cells away from scarring, and then … provide[s] the signals that tell them what to build.” From the abstract:
“Epimorphic regeneration in mice is stimulated at a non-regenerative digit amputation by sequential treatment with FGF2 and BMP2 (FGF2→BMP2). FGF2 stimulates digit amputation wound cells to form a blastema and BMP2 induces blastema differentiation to regenerate the amputated distal phalangeal element, albeit imperfectly. The formation of a phalangeal growth plate suggests that the induced regenerate recapitulates embryonic development and cell lineage studies show that wound cells that enter the blastema cells are positionally re-specified during regeneration. FGF2→BMP2 treatment also stimulates a blastema-independent response that regenerates a synovial joint complex containing stump-derived tendon, ligament and a sesamoid-like bone. Together the blastema-dependent and blastema-independent responses can result in the regeneration of all skeletal structures removed by amputation. The induced regeneration response demonstrates the availability of regeneration competent cells at a non-regenerating wound, and that FGF and BMP signaling is sufficient to trigger a regenerative outcome at wounds that heal by fibrosis.”
Of course, this is bigger than just allowing humans patients to regrow lost limbs. Add in some genetic coding and this could be used to grow neko mimi (i.e. cat ears) and associated neko tail!
A little mood music:
The study can be read here, or below:
Digit Regeneration in Mice is Stimulated by Sequential Treatment With FGF2 and BMP2 by ThePoliticalHat
