Many salamanders have a very unique natural ability to regenerate limbs that has been amputated from a predator. The School of Science at Indiana University and Purdue University Indianapolis have been studying over 300 different proteins which the salamander specie axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) produce within its body. Limb regeneration has been study for over 30 years now. Specialized proteins accumulate under where the limb has be amputated, this is also known as the establishment of a blastema. The proteins and resident stem cells begin to manipulate each other and begin to regenerate a new limb. Researcher have notice three significant traits in the cells of regenerated limbs.
These traits are:
1. Quantities of enzymes involved in metabolism decreased significantly during the regeneration process.
2. There were many proteins that helped cells avoid cell death, because amputation is traumatic. This is critical.
3.A protein which appears to keep cells from dividing until they are fully differentiated and reprogrammed to begin forming a new limb was expresses at high levels throughout blastema formation.
Studies with these special proteins found in the axolotl salamanders have been placed in frog appendages that have been amputated and yet to successfully make a frog limb. New developments in the future for this study will hopefully lead to regeneration for humans who lost a limb. Sounds like a long shot but these new protein discoveries give scientist new look at limb regeneration.
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214121434.htm
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