Human Limb Regeneration

Scientific Research On Limb Regeneration For Humans

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New Stem Technology Replicates Salamanders Limb Regeneration Abilities

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Australian Scientists believe they have made a powerful revolutionary new discovery of inducing regeneration of any bone and tissue similar to the way salamanders regrow lost limbs with trials planned in 2017.

The group of scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) say this new stem cell technique has the ability to not only regrow bone and tissue, and heal wounds that have been damaged and/or lost but has the potential to lead into something far bigger, possibly into complex structures and organs.

This could cause a complete transformation in how stem cell technologies can be used to treat injuries.  Along with a real game changer that would open up new avenues of development for human limb regeneration which would transform the lives of amputees, making prosthetics obsolete.

Its important not to under estimate the significance of this new kind of research with Australia leading the field in Regenerative Medicine.

Therapies that are based on ‘induced impotent stem’ cells (iMS) could start as early as next year (2017) after they demonstrated the reprogramming of fat and bone cells. iMS is a theoretical process of cells being used to regenerate muscle, bone, and cartilage.

Controlled Cellular Regeneration

One of the many challenges that scientists have come across in this research is the regrowth of cells without becoming cancerous. The iMS method is different from other kinds of stem cells that can differentiate into many types of cells, as they not considered to run the risk of stimulating cancer in the process.

What this means is that with this multi-potent stem cell method, according to Professor John Pimanda of UNSW, once they are transplanted into areas of damaged tissue, controlled repair of tissue seemed to be observed. So the process only heals the tissues that are damaged, leaving healthy tissue alone.

Human Regeneration

This new stem call technology takes mouse and human bone with fat cells, and converts them into multi-potent stem cells. What is exciting is that you take a patient’s own fat or bone tissue and generate a type of cell that looks like a regenerating stem cell.how can stem cells regrow limbs

You then put them back into the patient’s body and bring about a genuine repair of the damaged tissue. So the injured bone and tissue can be regenerated with these cells that have just been developed.

What Are Induced Multi-Potent Stem Cells?

At the moment, researchers whom have been investigating regenerative therapies, have worked with embryonic stem (ES) cells and along with induced pluri-potent stem (iPS) cells. They both have similar characteristics of behavior, multiplying indefinitely with the ability to transform into any kind of bodily tissue. The ES cells are naturally obtained from early stage of embryos, while iPS cells are created by reprogramming adult cells.

The challenge with both of these stem cell models is they run the risk of generating cancerous tumors. In addition, iPS cells are generated by genes that are injected with viruses, this is of course clinically unacceptable.

The induced multi-potent cells (iMS) have a more limited capability but are claimed to be safer than ES and iPS methods. The group of researchers in Australia, were able to produce them by inducing “plasticity” in the fat and bone cells using human and mouse donors.

These donor fat cells get treated for about three days using a growth factor that is derived using platelets, along with cells called AZA (or 5-Azacitidine). This AZA invokes plasticity and is a requirement to allow a growth factor take place called PDGF-AB to reprogram them into iMS cells.

When this these modified cells are injected into the damaged area, they stimulate regeneration. The end result is that it excitingly mimics the way salamanders also use plasticity to regrow lost limbs and tails, the scientists claim.

Human Trials Planned

It is still unclear according to scientists how the science behind this new stem cell technology works and how these cells know what to generate and where. It is thought that the cells lose their hard wired identity, with the fat cells forgetting what it is and responds to surrounding cells.

So there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of understanding scientifically the process.

However, human trials are expect to start by the end of next year of 2017. This technology uses the patient’s own stem cells so there is less chance of tissue rejection.

The initial phase of a human trial project will involve focusing on musculoskeletal challenges, and repairing joint and muscle degenerated, neck and back pain, spinal disc injury and the speeding up of wound healing from post surgical injuries.

These cells have the ability to generate their own blood supply which scientists feel is important. Patients whom have blood vessels that are damaged with their tissues dying as a result since they are not getting enough blood supply.

The scientists whom will be leading the human trials with this new stem cell treatment feel  that they can regenerate both the patients blood supplies and the lost or damaged tissue.how can stem cells regrow limbs

Could This Treatment Regrow Lost Limbs?

You will notice above that the analogy of the salamander is given where this stem cell technology mimics the way salamander regenerates its own bodily tissues.

In a way what scientists seem to be doing is reverse engineering what the Salamander, such as the Axolotl in Mexico does, in regrowing its own limbs that have been lost or damaged.

So how can stem cells regrow limbs, and does this stem cell research answers those questions?

While certainly at the moment we are some way from achieving that scientific miracle, scientists do believe that the description of inducing salamander-like regeneration in humans is a correct description with this kind of technology.

This new discovery has the potential to create a revolution regenerative medicine in a few years. They believe that this research is a major breakthrough not least with using stem cells to regrow tissue and not become tumor-like.

New Powerful Potential Treatments

What is so powerful about this discovery and research, is that scientists have been able to find a way to take someone’s own bone or fat cells, and generate a kind of cell that behaves as a regenerative stem cell.  These cells are then placed in the human’s body and they bring about genuine regeneration of the lost or damaged tissue.

Damaged tissue and damaged bone can be repaired with these cells that have been developed for the patient.

Clearly this is a stepping stone to something of far greater potential as the technology develops and clearly it will lead into more complex healing as the technology develops, along with combining with what other scientists are doing in related research into human limb regeneration.

The research led by the scientists at University of New South Wales is published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.

Comments

      • Can someone please clarify in laymans terms – how is iMS preferable to the combo of CordBlood-MSC-combined-with-amniotic? Thanks.

        Reply

    • Yes it is possible. It has been possible since the earlee 1970s. Religious biggots get in the way ov these technologies being mass produced. Not to mention the phamacutical industree that stands to loose billions if these techs cure most disease and bodilee degrigdation. Vested interests don’t want stemcells to be developed on mass. It has been an uphill battle for decades to get this tech off the ground. The last I heard they were growing a monkey leg on a monkey from stemcells. They have grown a rat leg on a rat. Human trials are said to begin in 2017.

      Reply

      • I too heard researchers were working on regrowing limbs in the 70’s. My prosthetist told me in the early 90’s that experiments had already begun on primates. The complications were the subject’s leg/arm grew too long, too short, disfigured, etc. The researchers said in 10 years, it would be perfected. Like drug addiction, medicine is big business, so who knows if it will be done in our life time, unless the for profit insurance companies push for it.

        Reply

      • O’Keefe, you’re absolutely on-the-mark. It’s greedy, egotistical scum that have caused needless human suffering for centuries. Same scum, different era’s.

        Reply

    • Hi Harshith,

      So sorry about your injury and hope you are getting the help and support you need.

      It is not possible to regrow a new leg at this point nor is it possible to rebuild a new leg via 3D printing technologies. However, this is certainly coming but it is difficult to say when as this kind of science and research is very much in its infancy.

      However, looking at all the research that I am posting on this blog, coming from difference scientists with different backgrounds in certain areas, it is looking very encouraging. And now there is more powerful investment and funding being put into human regeneration.

      Thanks,
      Alexander.

      Reply

  4. I lost a part of my 10 fingers (CASE OF FROSTBITE). I am more than ready to enter a CT provided there is no sham arm: to my knowledge, the placebo effect was never shown to regenerate limbs! If you’re looking for very motivated patients, I would be very happy to be considered in your clinical trials should they start in 2017.

    Since the amputations 22 years ago I always said that by the time I will retire from work, science and technology will allow me to fully enjoy life again. However if this is happening before I retire from work, it’s ok with me 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi JC,

      Thank you for your comments. The clinical human trials that is discussed in this article is for musculoskeletal problems. Along with the repairing of joint and muscle that has degraded. Plus, neck / back pain, and spinal disc injury and the speeding up of wound healing from post surgical injuries.

      This is an initial small step to something far greater. Scientists are no where near yet to conduct clinical trials on limb regeneration but this will eventually come if the above initial trials are successful..

      It will be interesting to see how the initial trails for muscle and bone repair that they talked about will play out.

      I think the initial step with any kind of trials for limb regeneration would evolve out of successful breakthroughs with full digit regeneration. But this has still to happen. Perhaps complete digit regeneration will occur sometime in the next decade?

      Some scientists say that while we cannot regrow a new arm today they believe we will in 10 years or by 2030. But it is too difficult to say at the moment.

      I am not a scientists and not involved in any clinical trial. This blog is about reporting of the latest discoveries and progress to date.

      I am sorry about your injuries and hope life has not been too challenging for you.

      While it is difficult to tell at this stage, but if what some scientists say is correct then I am certain that by the next decade you are going to be fascinated in the scientific developments made.

      So please stick around! 🙂

      Thanks,
      Alexander.

      Reply

      • I have this fantasy that will probably never actualize. My fantasy is that just like there’s a place in PA that’s a sanctuary for electrosensitives to flee to (because there’s no electricity there)…

        …likewise, i wish some influential doctors could collaborate with powerful lawyers, so that there could be sanctuary “Amnesty” locale (such as Texas & Costa Rica) for disabled people to travel to, where GENUINE REPAIR-CARE CLINICS could legally conduct research and healing, unhindered by the FDA. Rather, they can be regulated by an independent regulatory agency composed exclusively of formerly-disabled volunteers who thus have our best interests in mind.

        …just like diplomats are allowed to operate with “diplomatic immunity” – the same law should legally extend to those who are ill & disabled!

        …why can’t lawyers tweak legalities for ill people using the precedent of “diplomatic immunity”? Albeit this could be called Disabled-Immunity!

        Reply

    • Hi Alvin,

      Thank you for your comment. For more information on research into regrowing lost limbs, please check out the rest of this website. Also check the links to the source within my postings where the research has been carried out by the group of scientists involved in each study.

      You may also like to look at the following website where they are researching into limb regeneration.

      http://regeneration.bio.uci.edu/

      Thanks,
      Alexander.

      Reply

  6. I have Avascular Necrosis of the femoral head. I don’t mind joining your clinical trials. Only problem is that I live in South Africa. I don’t mind trying anything else before a total hip replacement.

    Reply

  8. Even my left arm stopped growing for me after an injury . It does not functions as my right arm and the size also varies . The muscles also got wasted . Can you suggest any solution ( like any good hospital , top surgens ) for my problem ……. And i am from india……..

    Reply

  9. Where did they go after giving us a hope of starting clinical trial in last 2017? Did you inquiry them about it? Why they said to start trial in last 2017 and disappeared from the earth now?

    Reply

  10. My 3 yrs old grand daughter had child syndrome ..involving left side of the body.She was born with 3 fingers missing and agenesis of leftlimb below knee joint.Do you think limb regeneration is possible ?

    Reply

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