How exactly lizards are able to regrow their tails has long been unknown, but a team of scientists say that they’ve come up with the answer.
Not only can a lizard shed its tail to free itself from a predator, it can later grow it back.
How exactly the reptile performs this regenerative magic has long been unknown, but a team of scientists say that they’ve come up with the answer.
The researchers determined that the ability comes down to the work of 326 genes.
They include, said one of the study’s authors, “…genes involved in embryonic development, response to hormonal signals and wound-healing.”
This was learned through removing, sectioning, and analyzing 5 lizard tails, all of which were in the mid re-growth phase.
In addition to satisfying general curiosity, the discovery could prove instrumental in advancing the possibility of cartilage and muscle regeneration in humans.
Of the roughly 325 genes working to grow lizards fresh tails, just over 300 of them are found in people as well.
The scientific team believes that if the reptile’s signature combination can be replicated in human cells, the ability for people to regrow tissue may not be far off.
In addition to new muscle and cartilage, the growth of a new spinal cord could also be considered in the realm of potential outcomes.
