Regenerating The Body

There may be way to regenerate cells without stem cells. Their is a family of proteins called Wnt proteins. “Gut, skin, brain, muscle, cardiac muscle, corneas, retinas — people have studied the role of Wnt signals in all those tissues,” said Stanford University reconstructive surgeon and study co-author Jill Helms. “Maybe there could be a therapeutic approach to all this.”

The study has taken 20 years to see the role of Wnt genes in regeneration in the body. Their role is to help stem cells copy themselves and guide them to differentiate. Their found in most animals and become more active in injured sites. The repair cells work faster with Wnt proteins present.

Roel Nusse is one of the co-author has had success in copying the Wnt proteins and making tissues with them. “This pathway may be the key to regenerating, or at least rapidly repairing, tissues,” said Helms. “We’re augmenting nature’s own response to injury.”

They tested the Wnt genes on mice with broken bones and found that after 3 days the mice with the Wnt genes used had 3 times more bone regrowth than those without the treatment. There are no obvious side effects right now. They hope to use it for larger wounds and organs.

This was interesting in that we can one regenerate organs or limbs without stem cells and it would be less ethical issues. It still early in the experiment but it looks promising.

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/04/accelerated-healing/#ixzz0me4ihsid