Scientists uncover potential pathway to limb regeneration in humans

Scientists conducting a study into limb regeneration in animals have newfound hope that humans could one day regrow lost limbs.

Working across three labs, the team was able to compare three species and identify two common regeneration genes and investigate their functions.

The group included Josh Currie, who focuses on the Mexican axolotl salamander; David A. Brown, a plastic surgeon who studies digit regrowth in mice; and Kenneth D. Poss, who researches fin regeneration in zebrafish.

The study determined that the genes were essential to the process of regeneration and sparked hope that a future gene therapy based on this information could be used to regrow tissue in humans by mimicking the pathways.

Mr Currie said the collaboration across research fields was a key aspect of the project.

“Many times, scientists work in their silos: we’re just working in axolotl, or we’re just working in mouse, or just working in fish,” he said in comments reported by Newswise.

“A real standout feature of this research is that we work across all these different organisms.

“That is really powerful, and it’s something that I hope we’ll see more of in the field.”

Each year, more than one million amputations occur globally; a figure expected to rise with ageing populations and an increased diagnosis of diabetes.

The group of researchers are looking into restoring sensory and motor functions of limbs and moving beyond prosthetics.

“Scientists are pursuing many solutions for replacing limbs, including bio-engineered scaffolds and stem cell therapies,” Mr Currie said.

“The gene-therapy approach in this study is a new avenue that can complement and potentially augment what will surely be a multi-disciplinary solution to one day regenerate human limbs.”

While more research is required before the techniques could be applied to human limbs, Mr Currie said this study was an important step.