Regeneration- is it possible?

Shrykull · Post by **Shrykull** » 2003-08-04 11:37pm

Hmm, Hulk kind of made me think of this, Is all we have to is find out what gene or genes let a starfish or worm or the tail of a reptile regenerate? And would some kinds act just like a starfish and trolls, like if my arm got severed it would grow into a clone of me?

Shortie · Post by **Shortie** » 2003-08-05 05:32am

I think that it should be possible to regenerate limbs in a while, but I'd expect it to be a medical process rather than gengineering (at least at first). It's not like we're not working on parts of that now (i.e. nerve regeneration). Don't ask me to estimate when though.

Growing a body back from a limb is rather less likely, a starfish is very different to a human.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2003-08-05 07:34am

Yes, regeneration will be possible. Type "Stem cell therapy" in google for details.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-05 11:06am

Yes, infact, some believe that we had such regenerative abilities millions of years ago but lost them in our evolution while organisms like the gecko retained them.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-05 01:57pm

I think we lost those abilities because of complexities in the regeneration of limbs. Look at how nimble and dexterous just your hands are, and try regenerating that. *Shudder*

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2003-08-05 03:44pm

I think we might see cloned arms grown in labs, that are later surgically attached.

I'm not sure you could give someone an injection of some "wonder drug" that will tell the body to grow another arm. The individual cells don't know you're missing an arm, wether they are near an arm area, or where the arms go, that's all worked out early in your development. You might end up looking like some radioctive mutant with arms growing out of your head.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-08-05 04:41pm

Vorlon1701 wrote:I think we lost those abilities because of complexities in the regeneration of limbs. Look at how nimble and dexterous just your hands are, and try regenerating that. *Shudder*

A lizard's leg is not much simpler, yet full ones can be regrown. But it'd take time.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-08-05 05:50pm

Salamanders are capable of regenerating... ust about anything so long as the injury doesnt kill them outright.

The Ensatina salamanders (Ensantina species) are capable of regenerating their eyes...

Shrykull · Post by **Shrykull** » 2003-08-05 11:08pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:Salamanders are capable of regenerating... ust about anything so long as the injury doesnt kill them outright.

The Ensatina salamanders (Ensantina species) are capable of regenerating their eyes...

What part? Not the optic nerve though, right? I thought nerves can't grow back (at least not in humans)

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-08-05 11:17pm

Vorlon1701 wrote:I think we lost those abilities because of complexities in the regeneration of limbs. Look at how nimble and dexterous just your hands are, and try regenerating that. *Shudder*

No worse than making it the first time.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-08-05 11:36pm

Shrykull wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote:Salamanders are capable of regenerating... ust about anything so long as the injury doesnt kill them outright.

The Ensatina salamanders (Ensantina species) are capable of regenerating their eyes...
What part? Not the optic nerve though, right? I thought nerves can't grow back (at least not in humans)

The nerve as well IIRC The eye is fully functional. You would encounter the same problems if you cut off the tail, the never still needs to be regrown... and it is

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-08-05 11:39pm

Shrykull wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote:Salamanders are capable of regenerating... ust about anything so long as the injury doesnt kill them outright.

The Ensatina salamanders (Ensantina species) are capable of regenerating their eyes...
What part? Not the optic nerve though, right? I thought nerves can't grow back (at least not in humans)

Nerves grow back, but they as you grow older, your nerved grow less and less and eventually stop. I know this because my aunt is going through a type of nerve regenration therapy since she got in a horse accident and all her olfactory nerves got severed.

~ver

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-05 11:46pm

Shrykull wrote:Hmm, Hulk kind of made me think of this, Is all we have to is find out what gene or genes let a starfish or worm or the tail of a reptile regenerate? And would some kinds act just like a starfish and trolls, like if my arm got severed it would grow into a clone of me?

While regeneration is possibul, you still need your basic systems functioning to support it. Your arm couldn't grow into a clone because it lacks a heart, lungs or a digestive track to support it. With some less complex life forms like a starfish, those systems are decentralized which allows for severed portions to grow.

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2003-08-06 10:04am

Shrykull wrote: What part? Not the optic nerve though, right? I thought nerves can't grow back (at least not in humans)

What I remember from biology (a while ago) is that there are two types of nerves. One kind can grow back and repair itself, the other can't.

I *believe* the sensory nerves can grow back, but the motor-function nerves have a special coating that prevents regrowth... or something like that.

I know that I severed my "touch" nerves in a finger from a dog bite, so it felt "dead", but it later grew back at a very slow rate. Every month I could feel further down the finger and after about half a year I got all feeling back.

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Regeneration- is it possible?

Regeneration- is it possible?

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