Some Amphibians Can Regrow Lost Limbs – A Simple Trick Could Be The First Step Towards Activating The Ability In Mammals

Summary: Have you ever wondered why frogs and salamanders can regrow lost legs, but humans just get scars? Scientists have been trying to solve this mystery for decades. A new study shows that the secret might be oxygen!

Amphibians live in water where oxygen is low. This low oxygen turns on a special protein that tells the body to regrow the missing part. Humans have this protein too, but our bodies react to the high oxygen in the air by quickly shutting down the regrowth process and making a scar instead. By lowering oxygen levels in tests, scientists were actually able to trigger the start of limb regrowth in mice! While we can't regrow human arms just yet, learning how to trick our cells' oxygen sensors could lead to amazing new ways to heal wounds.

For more details, see IFLScience at iflscience.com/some-amphibians-can-regrow-lost-limbs-a-simple-trick-could-be-the-first-step-towards-activating-the-ability-in-mammals-83142 (opens in new tab)