Scientists Demonstrate Mammalian Tissue Regeneration

telomerewhythere writes "A quest that began over a decade ago with a chance observation has reached a milestone: the identification of a gene that may regulate regeneration in mammals. The absence of this single gene, called p21, confers a healing potential in mice long thought to have been lost through evolution and reserved for creatures like flatworms, sponges, and some species of salamander. 'Unlike typical mammals, which heal wounds by forming a scar, these mice begin by forming a blastema, a structure associated with rapid cell growth and de-differentiation as seen in amphibians. According to the Wistar researchers, the loss of p21 causes the cells of these mice to behave more like embryonic stem cells than adult mammalian cells, and their findings provide solid evidence to link tissue regeneration to the control of cell division. "Much like a newt that has lost a limb, these mice will replace missing or damaged tissue with healthy tissue that lacks any sign of scarring," said the project's lead scientist.' Here is the academic paper for those with PNAS access."

Comments

So this is what hell will be...

[mtrachtenberg]

So this is what the religions were talking about when they talked about hell. Everyone lives forever, one hundred people have all the money, and Sarah Palin is President-for-Life.

Re:evolution purists

[CorporateSuit]

After all, if you are a purist, and we go the way of the dinosuar, that it is as it should be

Evolutiontologists believe that dinosaurs did not die. They all grew wings and became birds when they saw the meteor coming.