A new drug cocktail has led to the regeneration of a new leg in frogs after amputation, raising the possibility of improving human regeneration abilities in the future. While humans are limited to scar tissue formation after injury, some animals such as lizards, salamanders, starfish, and crabs can regenerate limbs completely. The Axolotl, a type of salamander, is particularly impressive as it can even regenerate organs. Researchers at Tufts University have now investigated whether limb regeneration can be triggered in animals that do not possess this ability. They used adult clawed frogs, amputating one of their hind legs and then developed a bioreactor made of silk proteins and silicone to deliver a mixture of five regeneration-promoting substances for 24 hours. The researchers found that 18 months after treatment, most of the frogs had strong tissue growth leading to almost complete leg regeneration.
Each of the five substances in the drug cocktail had a specific purpose, stimulating the growth of muscles, nerve fibers, and blood vessels while inhibiting the formation of scar tissue and inflammation. While the regenerated limbs had a bone structure similar to the original leg, the toe-like structures of the frog’s leg only partially regenerated. Nevertheless, the frogs regained functional limbs with nerves that responded to touch and could be used for swimming. The researchers believe that the five-substance cocktail is the most significant breakthrough in this field, suggesting that animals may have dormant regeneration abilities that can be activated.
The study could be the basis for developing drugs that improve human regeneration abilities. The researchers also found that the use of the BioDome cap, which created a liquid environment for the wound, played a crucial role in the regeneration process. The researchers plan to optimize the drug and growth factor combinations and conduct experiments with mammals in the future. While it is still unclear when or if this treatment method can be used in humans, the study offers hope for improving human regeneration abilities.
