Human Fingertips May Be Able to Regrow. The Key Is Turning Scar Tissue Into a Blastema
Mouse experiments suggest regeneration can be activated through growth factors and tissue mechanics, without adding external stem cells to the wound.
The human liver can regenerate up to 70 percent of its mass, skin is constantly turning over, bones mend fractures, and human children can even regenerate the tips of their fingers. We might be able to take it a step further too: A recent study by Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, along with research from scientists at Stanford University suggests that humans might be able to regrow amputated fingertips with bone, tissue, and nerves. Until now, that’s not been thought possible.
“Why some animals can regenerate and others, particularly humans, can’t is a big question that has been asked since Aristotle,” Dr. Ken Muneoka, a professor at Texas A&M’s Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology told Camyrn Haines. “I’ve spent my career trying to understand that.”
Muneoka’s study, published in Nature Communications,reveals a two-step
Muneoka’s study, published in Nature Communications,reveals a two-step treatment that led to the regeneration of digits in mice. While imperfect, Muneoka and team believe that this could be a step closer to reducing scarring and improving tissue repair post amputation.
Some scientists at Stanford agree—they found, after a close look at the extracellular matrix (ECM), that regeneration came from a balance of collagen matrices and hyaluronic acid
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How Regeneration Works
Injuries typically trigger fibrosis in mammals, Haines wrote, which is a process where fibroblast cells close the wound and form scar tissue. This helps the body prevent infection, but limits the potential capacity to rebuild. Regenerative species, like salamanders and axolotls, regrow their limbs by using the cells involved in fibrosis to organize into a blastema instead of scar tissue. Blastema permits the possibility of tissue regrowth.
The researchers at Texas A&M developed a sequential
The researchers at Texas A&M developed a sequential treatment to see if mammalian healing could shift towards blastema instead of fibrosis.
First they applied fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) after a wound had already closed. The timing let the body complete its normal healing process and then, Muneoka told Haines that the team “changed what happens next.”
Source: www.inc.com
