Is the discovery of regrowing human limbs right at your finger tips? Scientists have made an important insight to the reason of why when the finger is lost beyond the digit, regeneration does not occur but, when some of the nail bed is still there then regrowth is possible.
Scientists have posed the question, can stem cells regrow limbs? What kind of stem cells in the finger nail causes the finger tip to regenerate? An important discovery has been made with finger nail stem cells that offer clues to regeneration.
Can Stem Cells Regrow Limbs From Your Finger Tips?
To answer that question, a group of scientists led by Dr. Mayumi Ito, Ph.D from New York University School of Medicine, worked on Mice and have discovered some significant answers.
Dr. Ito is an Associate Professor at the Department of Ronald O. Perelman, and Professor for the Department of Dermatology for Cell Biology.
Her team have focused on nail stem cells that are populated at the base of the nail. The purpose of these cells is to drive the constant growth of nails. However, Ito’s team observed that they are also implicated in more sophisticated processes of regenerating a finger tip.
Scientists began researching the role played of a signaling pathway called ‘Wnt‘ pronounced ‘wints’ on the growth of the nails. The reason they started studying this pathway was because it is used in limb formation in embryonic development in mammals and limb regeneration in amphibians.
It was discovered that this Wnt pathway was active in the mouse nail stem cells and is necessary for nail production. However, when they blocked the pathway signaling the mice’s nails stopped generating.
Regrowing Human Fingers – Regeneration Beyond The First Digit
The next step in the experiments, was to see what role the Wnt’s played in the regeneration of mice’s toe tips. Generally, the mouse toe tips regain their normal structure after they are clipped off, as long as some of the nail stem cells remain, including a layer of cells known as the nail epithelium.
The results showed that when the Wnt pathway was blocked, the toe tips and the nails failed to grow back. This proved that Wnt signaling plays an important part in regeneration.
The scientists decided to take the research to the next level, to see if finger regeneration could occur even if most of the Wnt pathway near the nail was removed, and beyond the finger tip. By using genetic engineering methods to force the remaining tissue to produce Wnts, they were able to regenerate bone, tissue and tendons in the regrowth of the mouse’s toe beyond the nail bed.
As Dr. Ito points out that amputations of this magnitude do not normally grow back. This means that the researchers were able to redirect the Wnt signaling pathways to other parts of the body to provoke regrowth of bone and tissue beyond the finger tip.
Possibilities In The Near Future
Could we soon be helping injured patients in regrowing human fingers and toes? It would make sense that regrowing toes and fingers would come before the more complex solution of regenerating a whole limb.
I don’t know the details, but apparently, a top scientist whom is an expert and specializes in this research was interviewed back in 2010 about human limb regeneration. She was one of the first scientists to grow an incubated human ear under the skin of a mouse’s back. It was proposed that she felt that regrowing fingers and toes would be possible by 2015 and full limb regeneration by 2025.
Further Research
Anyway, the next step in Dr. Ito’s research with her team, is to look at the molecular constructs that control how the Wnt’s signaling interfaces with the stem cells of the nail that stimulates bone, tissue and nail growth.
The conclusion in this research showed that nail stem cells and the Wnt signaling pathway are essential for tissue regeneration. These insights offer innovative ideas of how scientists can creative new novel treatments to help millions of amputees around the world.
In a nutshell, it means that scientists could be on a break through for a cure for humans whom have lost limbs.
Lakesha says
2nd September 2015 at 5:52 PMHello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article.
I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more
of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.
Alexander says
11th September 2015 at 4:18 AMHi Lakesha,
Thank you so much! I’ve been going back and making modifications correcting English and making sure the content is accurate and correct, as best as I can. I am glad you found it of value. I’ll be adding new content on a regular basis and hopefully at least once a week on limb regeneration and regenerative medicine. You have a great website in medicine and I used to work in the medical field in the hospital.
Thanks,
Alex.
murray dunn says
19th September 2015 at 10:43 AMLost my big toe with amputation…my body does not like this situation. Left great toe…can you help ? Murray.
Alexander says
23rd September 2015 at 8:44 PMThank you for visiting the site. It is wonderful to have you here! I am sorry about your injury. Firstly I want to say that this website has been created for people like you.
However, I am not a scientist or physician so I cannot give you advice. This site is for information purposes only and to raise awareness in this area of research.
While at the moment it is really science fiction, the research does look promising and I am sure we will see a breakthrough during our lifetime. Some scientists leading this field say perhaps 10 to 15 years.
It is really too early to say when that will be. Even if a medical breakthrough occurred today, it would take time before you would see an applied application. Like anything else, there are regulatory approvals and clinical trials that have to be reviewed just like with any new treatment.
In the end, it all comes down to financial resources, how many people are focused on a problem to find a solution.
Perhaps as a suggestion is for you to do your own research. Look at that I have written, look at the leading experts in this field, and contact them to answer your questions you may have. Like anything you read on the internet, including this site, never take it on face value but do your own research and come to your own conclusions.
If you are looking for qualified experts who specialized in this field of study, some of these are mentioned on this website. If you need further information please do comment below and I will try my best to answer them.
murray dunn says
19th September 2015 at 10:50 AMLost my big toe amputation. Can you help. My body not happy !
Alexander says
23rd September 2015 at 8:48 PMHi Murray – See my reply to your previous comment above. Take care.
SUHASK NAYAK says
2nd November 2016 at 2:03 PMHi
I lost my finger tip in an accident..
The plastic surgeon covered the wound by graft .the nail is gone but the nail bed is there .is there any chances to regrow it ?
Sam
Smithk877 says
3rd November 2016 at 7:01 PMThanks again for the blog post.Thanks Again. Cool. abdaddgdgfaceekf
Alex says
19th November 2016 at 9:06 PMI recently had my pinky finger amputated
Abou 3.5 inches
Is it possible to grow it back
Thanks
SANDEEP PHUTANE says
16th December 2016 at 7:47 AMHi ,
Read the above article and it sounds quite promising. My daughter who is 15 year old lost her toe fingers due to an illness. We are just waiting for a breakthrough. Your article gives us hope that some day there will be a cure and the lost fingers can be regenerated.
Thanks a lot.
Looking forward to getting positive news in future.
Regards
Sandeep Phutane
carl says
22nd December 2016 at 9:14 PMI had gangrene in right big toe and was lucky to not lose the toe but they had to deride or take off the black dead skin and tissue on the bottom of toe. Can this be regenerated?
Alexander says
23rd December 2016 at 10:19 AMHi Carl,
Thank you for posting your comment and sorry to hear about your injury with gangrene. It looks like you got it treated in time so avoiding losing or having your toe amputated.
For the section removed and asking if it is possible to be regenerated, I’m going to provide a link to a regenerative medicine research institute in the states. They might be able to offer some suggestions.
I can’t tell you myself as I am not a physician or scientist so I cannot give advice. I think if you found the right kind of medical specialist then that clinical expert would be able give you an informed opinion.
I’ll post some information for you in a separate comment below and please do keep in touch.
Thanks,
Alexander.
pat sullivan says
1st January 2017 at 12:46 AMidiot dctors woud not xray knee implant to fix busted knee cap told me not needed it went septic leg removedf almost died from blood poisoning but in ontario gutless doctors protected by socialist gov, leg lost beacauser of medical error almost done rehab will go to doc office and make in a scenehisin oand if can stand properly i will punch his ugly face