Regeneration of fins and limbs relies on a shared cellula...

What’s Happening

Let’s talk about The findings strengthen the case that regeneration is an old trait, offering insights into how complex tissues rebuild themselves.

News Animals Regeneration of fins and limbs relies on a d cellular playbook Immune cells, blood cells and repair genes act in concert across three regenerating vertebrates The Senegal bichir (one pictured) is a living fossil, with evolutionary roots at the base of the bony fish family tree. It also can regrow entire fins, making it a good case study for understanding the origins of limb regeneration. (we’re not making this up)

Blickwinkel/Alamy By Elizabeth Pennisi 1 hour ago this: via email (Opens in new window) Email on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print In the 2012 movie The insane Spider-Man , a key character regrows his missing arm DNA — but then turns into a monster lizard that Spider-Man must foil.

The Details

While humans outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe can’t regrow limbs, a new study has uncovered a d genetic and cellular toolkit for regenerating appendages in fish and salamanders . The work, reported January 22 in Nature Communications , reveals clues about how far back in evolutionary time regeneration appeared in vertebrates.

Interested in how vertebrates evolved — and often took an L — the ability to regrow body parts, evolutionary developmental biologist Igor Schneider of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge has focused on understanding regeneration in the Senegal bichir ( Polypterus senegalus ). This fish can regrow an entire took an L fin .

Why This Matters

And because it sits at the base of the family tree of modern bony fish, the bichir is considered a living fossil. For our We summarize the week’s scientific breakthroughs every Thursday. Studying this fish “helps fill a big gap in the story of how regeneration evolved,” says developmental biologist Ji-Feng Fei of the Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences in Guangzhou, China, who was not involved with the work.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

The Bottom Line

Studying this fish “helps fill a big gap in the story of how regeneration evolved,” says developmental biologist Ji-Feng Fei of the Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences in Guangzhou, China, who was not involved with the work.

Is this a W or an L? You decide.