An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs

Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by deng on Friday July 28, 2023 @05:18PM (#36913469)

The article is specifically about a difference in the mTOR protein, so in the end, a genetic difference. You will not trigger a limb regrowth in humans by opening and closing specific ion channels in our cells.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by grishka on Friday July 28, 2023 @06:04PM (#36913974)

> You will not trigger a limb regrowth in humans by opening and closing specific ion channels in our cells.

Levin's research begs to differ. He did successfully regrow an amputated leg in a frog.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by civilitty on Friday July 28, 2023 @06:34PM (#36914290)

In a frog.

The genetic machinery for limb regeneration is highly conserved (see reptiles) and predates the appearance of lissamphibians. There's almost zero chance it's possible with endotherms.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by dekhn on Friday July 28, 2023 @07:59PM (#36915058)

I seem to think you're interpreting that in a way that is not consistent with our current understanding of limb regrowth.

This is the paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2164 and it clearly states they treated a frog (xenopus, a common model organism), which does not normally regenerate when it's an adult. The paper clearly states that they treated with a set of factors that they believe induced a developmental plan- implemented by the transcription of DNA, translation of RNA, and expression of proteins. The initial treatment was removed, and the effect continued.

Also there's nothing about ion channels in this- the factors they used must have been actively transported- they bind to protein receptors.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by curioussavage on Friday July 28, 2023 @09:50PM (#36915957)

I’ve watched at least half a dozen long presentations and interviews from dr levin and I’d say the previous commenter is essentially repeating it exactly how Levin describes it. To be fair it’s not exact. What I understood from the interviews is that they have been imaging bioelectrical activity in organisms during development and claim to have deciphered patterns associated with growth of certain structures. He talks about a certain ion channel drug (one used for epilepsy I believe) which they used to reproduce the bioelectric field previously observed and the organism grew a leg. Multiple legs actually, wherever they wanted. Also working eyes on arbitrary locations.

So from a high level they say they have figured out how to “speak” to cells in a sense and instruct them to start building certain structures. And they emphasize that they aren’t making any changes to the genome or manage any of the low level processes themselves.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by dekhn on Sunday July 30, 2023 @06:43PM (#36936751)

Unless you can point me to some succinct papers or summaries, I'm going to continue with my believe that the dog wags the tail, not the other way around.

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Re:An ultra-sensitive on-off switch helps axolotls regrow limbs by deng on Saturday July 29, 2023 @02:23AM (#36917472)

Frogs are not humans. Amphibians do have the genetic potential for limb regrowth.

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