WishX Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 It's a miracle: mice regrow hearts August 29, 2005 SCIENTISTS have created "miracle mice" that can regenerate amputated limbs or damaged vital organs, making them able to recover from injuries that would kill or permanently disable normal animals. The experimental animals are unique among mammals in their ability to regrow their heart, toes, joints and tail. And when cells from the test mouse are injected into ordinary mice, they too acquire the ability to regenerate, the US-based researchers say. Their discoveries raise the prospect that humans could one day be given the ability to regenerate lost or damaged organs, opening up a new era in medicine. Details of the research will be presented next week at a scientific conference on ageing titled Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, at Cambridge University in Britain. The research leader, Ellen Heber-Katz, professor of immunology at the Wistar Institute, a US biomedical research centre, said the ability of the mice at her laboratory to regenerate organs appeared to be controlled by about a dozen genes. Professor Heber-Katz says she is still researching the genes' exact functions, but it seems almost certain humans have comparable genes. "We have experimented with amputating or damaging several different organs, such as the heart, toes, tail and ears, and just watched them regrow," she said. "It is quite remarkable. The only organ that did not grow back was the brain. "When we injected fetal liver cells taken from those animals into ordinary mice, they too gained the power of regeneration. We found this persisted even six months after the injection." Professor Heber-Katz made her discovery when she noticed the identification holes that scientists punch in the ears of experimental mice healed without any signs of scarring in the animals at her laboratory. The self-healing mice, from a strain known as MRL, were then subjected to a series of surgical procedures. In one case the mice had their toes amputated -- but the digits grew back, complete with joints. In another test some of the tail was cut off, and this also regenerated. Then the researchers used a cryoprobe to freeze parts of the animals' hearts, and watched them grow back again. A similar phenomenon was observed when the optic nerve was severed and the liver partially destroyed. The researchers believe the same genes could confer greater longevity and are measuring their animals' survival rate. However, the mice are only 18 months old, and the normal lifespan is two years so it is too early to reach firm conclusions. Scientists have long known that less complex creatures have an impressive ability to regenerate. Many fish and amphibians can regrow internal organs or even whole limbs. Source: The Australian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn00pie Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Wow, that's just amazing! :woot: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trance Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Lets hear it for genetics!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Floyd Veteran Posted August 31, 2005 Veteran Share Posted August 31, 2005 darn this is freaking nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 this is pretty significant, though note that the mice were born and bred in this way, it wasnt a capability bestowed upon already living mice i wonder what the underlying mechanics are; whether this is directly related to stem cells, or whether it jumps that crappy fence of opposition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincent Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 The only organ that did not grow back was the brain. Not too surprised on this one, the brain is far too complex, although making it re-growable is not impossible, i think scientists will just have to work at it harder. This is very exciting news indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trance Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 this is pretty significant, though note that the mice were born and bred in this way, it wasnt a capability bestowed upon already living micei wonder what the underlying mechanics are; whether this is directly related to stem cells, or whether it jumps that crappy fence of opposition 586456077[/snapback] Ah, but read this: And when cells from the test mouse are injected into ordinary mice, they too acquire the ability to regenerate, the US-based researchers say. So it is transferable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Lyle Global Moderator Posted August 31, 2005 Global Moderator Share Posted August 31, 2005 this is pretty significant, though note that the mice were born and bred in this way, it wasnt a capability bestowed upon already living micei wonder what the underlying mechanics are; whether this is directly related to stem cells, or whether it jumps that crappy fence of opposition 586456077[/snapback] ohhh, they were BORN with this... thats kinda crazy tho.. im sure they'd inject this into pregnant mothers or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Darn -- I could use a new brain. :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Studio7designs Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 UNREAL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eversor Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Its kinda amazing and scary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soypowered Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Poor mice, they shouldn't have to be subjected to such horrible mutilation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turkishdelight Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Sweet :woot: @soypowered: while I share your sympathy for animals, many discoveries have been made through animals that ultimately benefitted humans. A lot. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commodore Max Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Wow ! :D ! This is great ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akirajds Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Poor mice, they shouldn't have to be subjected to such horrible mutilation! 586456213[/snapback] you heard the scientists,.. they said it would grow back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Behelit Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Poor mice indeed... Do you dislike that big scar you got while biking as a child on your arm? Cut it off and regrow it! Just broke your leg? Chop it off! Why walk around using a bone that was broken before! Regrow a brand new one! Upset with the Neowin mods? Throw your middle fingers at them... they'll all grow back! Kidding aside, this is pretty intense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flam1ngFir3ball Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Damn, zombie mice! Gonna be hard to shoot them in the head with them being so small! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pliskin Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Darn -- I could use a new brain. :blink: 586456110[/snapback] Same here man. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shibby Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 This rules. Sure using mice to find things out does suck on them but as said before i'm sure alot of medcial knowledge has come from this little dudes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAdder Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 the mice are immortals...now they're going to run around with little swords trying to cut off each others heads and take their quickening. In the end there can be only one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt74441 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 I just hope this isn't one of those other medical discoveries that we'll never hear about again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGeorge Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 They appear to be able to do alot with mice, but not much translates to human health advancement. Great time to be a mouse though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trance Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 They appear to be able to do alot with mice, but not much translates to human health advancement. Great time to be a mouse though :) 586456561[/snapback] Actually, that is the very reason they use mice. It translates very well to humans. You just don't hear about it in those terms. Where do you think the drug testing happens? They don't go from theory to humans in one jump. They test a lot, and mice are great because of their fast generation rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i3x171um Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Great time to be a mouse though :) My thought verbatum, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdesmus Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 holy crap that's cool :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts