The Real Mighty Mouse

The miracle mouse (mice) is/are creating a stir in the scientific community. Apparently it all started with one mouse that somehow regenerated it's amputated limbs - a feat normal for amphibians, fish and insects but extremely rare for mammals. What is even more startling is the scientists were able to extract the regenerative cells and inject them into normal mice. Those mice also began to heal and regenerate lost tails, toes and ears.

"We have experimented with amputating or damaging several different organs, such as the heart, toes, tail and ears, and just watched them re-grow. It is quite remarkable. The only organ that did not grow back was the brain."

The scientists have identified 12 genes that attribute to the regeneration and it is theoretically possible for those genes to be compatible in humans. If further study is approved, this could open up a whole new era in medical science. The regenerative abilities kicked in regardless of when a limb was lost, whether it was yesterday or 12 months ago. Lab mice typically have a life span of only 2 years so its hard to conduct any long term studies without using an animal that can live longer.

The powers of regeneration usually stays with lower animals. Mammals have regeneration abilities when they are still young, but as they grow, the body's cells become more specialized losing their ability to become other cells. This allows mammals to become much more complex organisms but in lower life forms like a newt for example; when it loses it's leg, the cells around the damaged tissue revert back to stem cells, dividing and multiplying rapidly. Because they are stem cells, they can become any cell thats needed to regenerate the missing limb.

If anything, this is all the more confirmation that world governments need to open up the barriers currently blocking stem cell research. Religion and conservative beliefs need to step aside, for the growth, betterment, and advancement of humankind.