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Regenerating body parts doesn't happen because it is hugely expensive in terms of biochemical resources. Teeth are the most materially expensive parts of the hu
by m0llusk 10y ago
Regenerating body parts doesn't happen because it is hugely expensive in terms of biochemical resources. Teeth are the most materially expensive parts of the human body. That is why teeth are often the most long lasting and best preserved human remains.
- guitarbill 10y agoAnd yet, sharks do it. Also, the skeleton is similarly long lasting and that gets renewed. So why not? Say a finger, which isn't too "expensive in terms of biochemical resources", why not regrow that? Take the acorn worm mentioned, in proportion to the worm regrowing itself must be really expensive. I don't think this too expensive argument explains it.
- danans 10y agoIt turns out that while sharks' teeth are functionally analogous to mammal teeth, they have an independent evolutionary origin - they are actually a specialized type of skin scale. http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/white_shark/teeth.htm http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/white_shark/teeth.h... It's apparently one reason why they can replace them constantly.
- Ygg2 10y agoShark also have rows of them.