Regenerative medicine breakthrough regrows mouse toes
When some animals loose a limb they can regrow them, and slowly we're unlocking the secrets of mammalian regeneration.
Key takeaways
- Ken Muneoka at Texas A&M University in the US and his colleagues had previously regenerated bones in mice after they were amputated by treating the stump with a bone-growing protein, BMP2.
- After three days, over 60 per cent of the stump bones formed a layer of cartilage, as seen in joints, at the end of the bones.
- The result was more effective when the team treated the wounds first with BMP2 and then BMP9 a week later.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2019) 'Regenerative medicine breakthrough regrows mouse toes', 311 Institute, 6 August. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/regenerative-medicine-breakthrough-regrows-mouse-toes/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Recently teams in the US managed unlock the regenerative secrets of Zebra fish, re-activate the genes for whole body regeneration, and regrow severed frogs legs after they treated the frogs with what they called a silk bioreactor – essentially a cocktail of hormones and progesterone wrapped in a silk scarf. All world firsts.
And now in a new breakthrough in regenerative medicine researchers have discovered a pair of proteins that one day could help people regenerate limbs in much the same way that starfish and other animals do. When applied to amputated toes, the proteins encouraged both bone and joint growth in mice, but joints are structurally complex, so even for animals that can regrow their lost limbs they often struggle to regenerate their joints as well. However, in this case that’s exactly what happened and this makes the latest discovery remarkable.
Ken Muneoka at Texas A&M University in the US and his colleagues had previously regenerated bones in mice after they were amputated by treating the stump with a bone-growing protein, BMP2. But the joint structures never formed, and the team suspected that another bone growing protein, BMP9, could be essential in joint building. So they tried applying the protein to mice that had their toes amputated. After three days, over 60 per cent of the stump bones formed a layer of cartilage, as seen in joints, at the end of the bones.
The result was more effective when the team treated the wounds first with BMP2 and then BMP9 a week later. Not only did the bones regrow they also formed more complete joint structures with part of the new bones attached to them. Although the method doesn’t yet produce a full toe. But one day…
“Our study is transformational,” says Muneoka. He suggests this experiment proves that even though mammals can’t regenerate body parts, we have cells that know how to and what to grow.
“They can do it, they just don’t do it. So, we have to figure out what’s constraining them,” he says.
Because human skeletal structure is very similar to that of mouse, Muneoka says he is optimistic that one day we will be able to help amputees regrow their limbs. But many more studies need to be done before any trials in humans, he says.
Journal reference: Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08278-4
FAQ
Why does this matter?
When some animals loose a limb they can regrow them, and slowly we're unlocking the secrets of mammalian regeneration.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08278-4 nature.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 6 August 2019. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2019). Regenerative medicine breakthrough regrows mouse toes. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/regenerative-medicine-breakthrough-regrows-mouse-toes/
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