Researchers have discovered a unique strain of mouse. It can re grow body parts without any scarring. They hope this could lead to new therapies for people. It is exciting that mammals may not have lost the ability to regenerate, the way amphibians or starfish do.
Researchers routinely keep track of lab mice using unique ear piercings. The strain of mouse completely re grew this tissue after only four weeks.
The strain, called the Murphy Roth’s Large (MRL) is commonly used as a model to study autoimmune disease.
The “healer mice” also regrew tissue in the tail, the optic nerve of the eye, the toes, and even the heart. After an injury to the heart in the healer mouse, the heart, after sixty days, recovers completely,
Research in mice doesn’t always translate to people. The researchers are mapping the genes involved in the mouse regeneration. They may one day come up with a therapy that would actually allow regeneration to occur.
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