Prospects for opportunities to recreate human organs

Spiny mice can regenerate lost skin and flesh without scarring, giving hope to find ways to regenerate lost cells and parts of the human body.

African thorny mice can regenerate 60% of the skin in the back.

According to a study published in the latest issue of the journal Nature, some African thorns have lost up to 60% of their skin on their backs, but the skin quickly heals and continues to grow hair instead of leave scars.

Unlike lizards that can regrow their tails and salamanders can regrow their legs, the human and other mammals often end up wounding with scar tissue.

Dr Ashley Seifert at the University of Florida, USA and colleagues said that the process of cell regeneration heals wounds on African thorny rats similar to the regrowth process of salamanders.

Tests show that these mice produce a "reproductive clue" known as a root germ to heal wounds. These stem cells are also used by salamanders to restore lost body parts.

Mr. Seifert said that one of the main reasons people or mammals have trouble reproducing parts of the body is because they cannot create the germ. He hopes this research can contribute to finding new treatments that allow people to replicate cells in new ways.