- November 27, 2016
- Posted by: emobile
- Category: Researcher's Corner
Emobileclinic Researchers Corner
The Stem Cells Journal has published the work of researchers from Northeastern University who found that axolotl salamanders have ability to regenerate her own internal organs like the ovary that also produces eggs and also the ability to re-grow their limbs. This new finding may offer possible new management option to human infertility.
According to James Monaghan, a professor of Biology said “when we remove a large portion of the ovary, it activates many endogenous stem cells to repair the organ,” and that “these salamanders can repair after injury, continue to make large amounts of eggs, and continue to have a hyper-prolific female reproductive system. It’s pretty incredible.”
The study evaluated the axolotl salamander’s ability to reproduce ovaries after a traumatic injury and still goes on to make almost 2,000 eggs annually could bring about the development of regenerative medicines focused on management of humans’ infertility.
The further said they:”found most of the genes that are expressed in human development and in human ovarian stem cells are also expressed in these salamander ovarian stem cells”. The researcher’s laboratory is planning on targeting the signals that enhance regeneration in the salamander, translating those signals into different variables such as mice and projecting at the human implications of this research. The understanding of those signals that stimulate response to injuries will enable the team to recapitulate them.
Monaghan and his team has started comparing the regenerative ability of each organ one after the other beginning with the ovary, then to the lungs and heart, which have all shown to possess vital regenerative response. The team concludes that: “if we can identify a blueprint for regeneration that is shared across multiple regenerating organs, and even the across regenerating animals, I feel these lessons can be utilized for human good. It’s really an exciting time in regenerative biology.”
Source
Piril Erler et.al (2016): Regulation of Injury-Induced Ovarian Regeneration by Activation of Oogonial Stem Cells, Stem Cells Journal, doi:10.1002/stem.2504
