Scientists from a collection of Chinese research institutions collaborated on a study of organ regeneration in mammals, finding deer antler blastema progenitor cells are a possible source of conserved regeneration cells in higher vertebrates. Published in the journal Science, the researchers suggest the findings have applications in clinical bone repair. With the activation of key characteristic genes, it could potentially be used in regenerative medicine for skeletal, long bone or limb regeneration.
Compare this to a lizard regenerating a tail, a zebrafish replacing a fin, a lobster regrowing a claw, or an axolotl salamander that can rebuild organs, limbs, spinal cord and even missing brain tissue.
We will not mention the hydra here if only because being able to regenerate itself an entire head after being cut in half (as the other half generates a new body making two hydras) raises too many philosophical questions about the meaning of “self” to tackle here. At least it is beyond the ambitions of current medical researchers considering more modest attempts at human tissue regeneration.
There is one type of mammal that engages in regenerative behavior in a very routine and reliable way, the deer. Male deer antlers regrow yearly as living tissue, with blood vessels and nerves wrapped around a fast growing boney structure. The researchers document a blastema-like structure present during antler regeneration, one similar to the structure involved in amphibian limb regeneration, suggesting a conserved biological feature available to vertebrate tissue regeneration.
There is another mammal with limited ability to regrow parts of a limb—mice. Mice can regenerate the tips of their foretoes. A cross-species comparison found that regenerative progenitor cells similar to those found in the deer antler blastema-like structure are also present in the mouse regenerative foretoe tip but not in nonregenerative mouse toes. These genes were also different from those found in axolotl limbs or zebrafish fins.
To fully document the gene transcription dynamics and asses cell type changes during antler regeneration, the research team pursued single-cell RNA sequencing of antlers at different stages of regeneration and a chromosome-level genome assembly of a male sika deer. 74,730 cells covering the critical stages of antler regeneration were analyzed, with some remarkable connections found between cell types reportedly crucial during limb regeneration in frogs and axolotl, as well as digit tip regeneration in mice.
An experiment was performed on mice to test the role of these progenitor cells. In the experiment, antler progenitor cells were introduced to the heads of laboratory mice. Antler-like boney cartilage formations appeared on the skull caps of mice that were not recruited from local tissues but entirely from the growth of transplanted stem cells, showing that the scientists had successfully isolated the essential cell types for regeneration.
News
False Memories Under Fire: Surprising Science Behind What We Really Recall
New research challenges the ease of implanting false memories, highlighting flaws in the influential “Lost in the Mall” study. By reexamining the data from a previous study, researchers found that many supposed false memories [...]
Born Different? Cambridge Scientists Uncover Innate Sex Differences in Brains
Cambridge researchers found that sex differences in brain structure exist from birth, with males having more white matter and females more grey matter, highlighting early neurodiversity. Research from the Autism Research Centre at the University [...]
New study shows risk factors for dementia – virus causes deposits in the brain
Research into the causes of Alzheimer's is not yet complete. Now a new study shows that head trauma can activate herpes viruses and promote the disease. Frankfurt am Main – As a neurodegenerative disease, [...]
Are Machines Truly Thinking? Modern AI Systems Have Finally Achieved Turing’s Vision
Modern AI systems have fulfilled Turing’s vision of machines that learn and converse like humans, but challenges remain. A new paper highlights concerns about energy consumption and societal inequality while calling for more robust [...]
The Surprising Link Between Smell, Sound, and Emotions
New research reveals how smell and hearing interact in the brain to drive social behavior, using mouse maternal instincts as a model. Imagine you’re at a dinner party, but you can’t smell the food [...]
Brain cells age at different rates
As our body ages, not only joints, bones and muscles wear out, but also our nervous system. Nerve cells die, are no longer fully replaced, and the brain shrinks. "Aging is the most important risk factor [...]
Long COVID Breakthrough: Spike Proteins Persist in Brain for Years
Researchers have discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein persists in the brain and skull bone marrow for years after infection, potentially leading to chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) have [...]
Water-Resistant Paper Could Revolutionize Packaging and Replace Plastic
A groundbreaking study showcases the creation of sustainable hydrophobic paper, enhanced by cellulose nanofibres and peptides, presenting a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based materials, with potential uses in packaging and biomedical devices. Researchers aimed to [...]
NIH Scientists Discover Game-Changing Antibodies Against Malaria
Novel antibodies have the potential to pave the way for the next generation of malaria interventions. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a novel class of antibodies that target a previously unexplored region [...]
Surprising Discovery: What If Some Cancer Genes Are Actually Protecting You?
A surprising discovery reveals that a gene previously thought to accelerate esophageal cancer actually helps protect against it initially. This pivotal study could lead to better prediction and prevention strategies tailored to individual genetic [...]
The Cancer Test That Exposes What Conventional Scans Miss
Researchers at UCLA have unveiled startling findings using PSMA-PET imaging that reveal nearly half of patients diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer might actually have metastases missed by traditional imaging methods. This revelation could profoundly affect future [...]
Pupil size in sleep reveals how memories are processed
Cornell University researchers have found that the pupil is key to understanding how, and when, the brain forms strong, long-lasting memories. By studying mice equipped with brain electrodes and tiny eye-tracking cameras, the researchers [...]
Stanford’s Vaccine Breakthrough Boosts Flu Protection Like Never Before
Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a new method for influenza vaccination that encourages a robust immune response to all four common flu subtypes, potentially increasing the vaccine’s efficacy. In laboratory tests using human tonsil [...]
Water’s Worst Nightmare: The Rise of Superhydrophobic Materials
New materials with near-perfect water repellency offer potential for self-cleaning surfaces in cars and buildings. Scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) have developed a surface [...]
Japanese dentists test drug to help people with missing teeth regrow new ones
Japanese dentists are testing a groundbreaking drug that could enable people with missing teeth to grow new ones, reducing the need for dentures and implants, AFP recently reported. Katsu Takahashi, head of oral surgery at [...]
An AI system has reached human level on a test for ‘general intelligence’
A new artificial intelligence (AI) model has just achieved human-level results on a test designed to measure "general intelligence." On December 20, OpenAI's o3 system scored 85% on the ARC-AGI benchmark, well above the previous AI best [...]
