Why can't people regenerate limbs like salamanders?
This article explores the biological differences between humans and regenerative animals like salamanders and zebrafish. It explains that while these animals can activate cellular programs to rebuild lost limbs, human injury response typically prioritizes rapid wound healing and scarring.
Why it matters
Understanding the mechanisms of regeneration could eventually lead to breakthroughs in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering for human patients.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source The blastema forms as the site of regeneration for lost limbs. Credit: Suzuki et al/ The Scientific World Journal , CC BY-SA Imagine losing an arm and simply growing a new one. This amazing ability of regeneration isn't just something from a superhero movie—it actually happens in real life for some animals.
Salamanders are known as champions of regeneration . If a salamander loses a leg, it can regrow another one, complete with bones, nerves, blood vessels and muscles.
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