This is pretty amazing:
Genetically altered mice discovered accidentally at the Wistar Institute in Pennsylvania have the seemingly miraculous ability to regenerate like a salamander, and even regrow vital organs.
Researchers systematically amputated digits and damaged various organs of the mice, including the heart, liver and brain, most of which grew back.
The results stunned scientists because if such regeneration is possible in this mammal, it might also be possible in humans.
The researchers also made a remarkable second discovery: When cells from the regenerative mice were injected into normal mice, the normal mice adopted the ability to regenerate. And when the special mice bred with normal mice, their offspring inherited souped-up regeneration capabilities.
Read the whole thing.
Nikki
We’ll never be able to kill a mouse again.
Jorz
Did you see later on in the article where they bonded adamantium to their skeletons…
mark
it’s all part of the designer’s plan. :-)
Krista
That IS amazing. When you consider how many people are currently on waiting lists for organ donation, practical application can’t come soon enough.
Poor mousies…at least they’re suffering for something a lot more noble than testing mascara, though.
Slartibartfast
Imagine the bennies for the cattle industry: just slice off a tenderloin, and wait for the animal in question to regrow.
If we can make them cooperate a bit, it’d warp the meaning of “self-serving” more in the Doug Adams direction.
jobiuspublius
Promising and scary. I wonder what other marvelous accidents can be found. The next plague is going to be fun.
Blue Neponset
Take that Lorena Bobbit!!
Lines
This is all part of the answer to the ultimate question!
We’re being ruled by the mice and you people have no clue. Damn Republicans, always keeping the good mouse down.
jobiuspublius
Ouch, gruesome. On a lighter note, imagine if bovine muscle tissue and blood could be grown in a lab.
Lines
Are we turning the corner on mouse organ/tissue regeneration?
Would anyone have predicted that the organ failure would have occurred?
Slartibartfast
Only the best tasting tuna get to be starfish!
demimondian
So, John…why do you support research like this, yet oppose research into things like the space elevator and carbon dioxide sequestration? You do realize that the key area of study that was the basis of this work was work on fruit flies with legs where their mouths should be and work on goldfish regeneration after surgical binding, don’t you? How can you support research into those two areas (which clearly have no practical aspect) when you oppose research into the other areas?
(Yes, I’m sure that someone will say “political bias”. It’s certainly a possibility, but I’d like to understand John’s thoughts here, not the projections of other people.)
AWJ
I, for one, welcome our new immortal rodent overlords!
BoDiddly
What’s really intriguing is that they claim that the mice have regenerated damaged nerve cells. As nerve cells are programmed not to replicate, this could have phenomenal benefits to those who have suffered from brain and/or spinal cord injury. It also, however, could open the door to new concerns about cancer, because neurons are currently immune to the disease because of their non-reproductive nature. True, brain cancer happens, but it’s in the surround cells, not the neural cells themselves.
So which do you pick, if given a choice? You can potentially genetically alter a person so that paralysis or brain damage can be overcome, but at the same time you’re making them prone to a (likely) untreatable, new form of cancer.
Big questions ahead . . .
tBone
Speaking of Adams, does anyone else suspect that these super-mice are actually hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings? The end is nigh.
Defense Guy
I have my towel. I’m fully prepared.
tBone
Not yet – you still need beer and peanuts to cushion your system. Get down to the bar, stat.
Krista
“What are we going to do tomorrow night, Brain?”
“Same thing we do every night, Pinky — try to take over the world!”
Warner Brothers — ahead of their time, as always.
Tim F
Speaking as a scientist myself, jeebus. They’re sitting on a Nobel prize right there. No question. On the other hand I’ve done that sort of experiment before, where you make a bunch of mutations and look for a result. Like them I made too many mutations; I got my result but it was an unholy bitch figuring out which one caused the “phenotype.” At least they won’t be hurting for money.
I should add, the part where the effect is transmissible to other mice is scary as hell. Are these clonal mice (equivalent to identical twins)? If not I would be very, very cautious about trying this in people.
Defense Guy
What makes you think I ever leave it?
srv
Good thing Congress will protect us from this type of experimentation on humans.
stickler
That depends. If the organ in question is the liver, boy that would be a real thinker. Beer for breakfast!
tBone
Good man. Better safe than sorry, I always
sayslur.Nelson Muntz
Regenerate your organ you degenerate!
I get enough spam of this sort already.
Aaron
Vegetarians will be able to eat meat and it won’ be murder.