Science Happening Now

We May Not Be Able to Regrow a Limb, But We Can Regenerate ... Sort of:

When we think of certain animals such as salamanders, we might recall that they can regrow parts of their body, such as a broken tail. Until now, scientists did not think humans could do this with the cartilage in our bodies. In fact, we can repair cartilage in hips, knees, and ankles. The ankles seem to have a more effective cartilage regeneration than the hips, due to its being “younger” cartilage. The process is managed by microRNAs, which have been conserved evolutionarily across many species. It is possible scientists could work with these factors to boost the regeneration capability, opening a new door for treatment options for those who suffer from joint-related ailments.