5 ms·

Frogs Regrow Missing Limbs in Lab Study

46 points by lxm 5y ago

flobosg 5y ago
More about Michael Levin: What Bodies Think About: Bioelectric Computation Outside the Nervous System – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg Why don’t (today’s) Robots get Cancer? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L43-XE1uwWc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L43-XE1uwWc The electrical blueprints that orchestrate life – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XheAMrS8Q1c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XheAMrS8Q1c And a tweet about the article – https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin/status/1486413226501943300 https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin/status/148641322650194330...
- sva_ 5y ago
  I'd also like to draw attention to his previous appearance on Curt Jaimungal's podcast[0], in which he gives an extremely detailed account of his research. Really fascinating stuff, I wonder what will come out of it. [0] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0TNfysTazc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0TNfysTazc
JPLeRouzic 5y ago
It's behind a paywall, while the original article is freely accessible: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2164 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2164
JPLeRouzic 5y ago
Isn't it that what is described is an acceleration of natural regrowth?
- flobosg 5y ago
  It seems that the regeneration process induced by the researchers is different than the natural regrowth pathway in Xenopus. > At best, adult frogs normally grow back only a featureless, thin, cartilaginous spike, (…) Our procedure induced a regenerative response they normally never have, which resulted in bigger, more structured appendages. The bioreactor device triggered very complex downstream outcomes that bioengineers cannot yet micromanage directly. (via https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181106171813.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181106171813.h...)
  - harywilke 5y ago
    Opening scene in a horror flic: "The bioreactor device triggered very complex downstream outcomes that bioengineers cannot yet micromanage directly."
    - kingcharles 5y ago
      https://www.reddit.com/r/onesentencehorror/ https://www.reddit.com/r/onesentencehorror/
bitxbitxbitcoin 5y ago
I volunteer to taste test the original limb versus the regrown one.
ada1981 5y ago
Perhaps there is a future where we get a general DNA mod early in our lifecycle that primes us for easier regeneration later in life.
- lkrubner 5y ago
  Assuming that at some point in the next 100 years we are able to develop an artificial womb, so women won't have to damage their bodies by giving birth, not only will birth become easier for everyone but it will also be easier to do such modifications with the fertilized egg.
  - pure_simplicity 5y ago
    This is artificial womb idea is evolutionary suicide. Human reproduction would eventually cease to function without artificial wombs as selective pressure for natural reproductive fitness disappears, causing genetic drift to go unrestrained. Should humanity ever go through a technological bottleneck (solar flare?) where artificial wombs are no longer available, then the population would decline rapidly as only those who can still reproduce naturally will be able to have offspring. The subsequent bottleneck in human capital will ensure that it will take ages for humanity to reach the same level of technological ability, if we ever will.
    - lkrubner 5y ago
      "Human reproduction would eventually cease to function without artificial wombs as selective pressure for natural reproductive fitness disappears" I don't mean to be rude. I'm guessing English is not your first language?
      - ad404b8a372f2b9 5y ago
        This sentence is entirely clear within the context of genetic evolution.
        5y ago
yamrzou 5y ago
https://archive.fo/6I8hU https://archive.fo/6I8hU

46 points by lxm 5y ago

More about Michael Levin: What Bodies Think About: Bioelectric Computation Outside the Nervous System – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg Why don’t (today’s) Robots get Cancer? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L43-XE1uwWc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L43-XE1uwWc The electrical blueprints that orchestrate life – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XheAMrS8Q1c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XheAMrS8Q1c And a tweet about the article – https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin/status/1486413226501943300 https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin/status/148641322650194330...

sva_ 5y ago
I'd also like to draw attention to his previous appearance on Curt Jaimungal's podcast[0], in which he gives an extremely detailed account of his research. Really fascinating stuff, I wonder what will come out of it. [0] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0TNfysTazc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0TNfysTazc

JPLeRouzic 5y ago

It's behind a paywall, while the original article is freely accessible: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2164 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj2164

JPLeRouzic 5y ago

Isn't it that what is described is an acceleration of natural regrowth?

flobosg 5y ago
It seems that the regeneration process induced by the researchers is different than the natural regrowth pathway in Xenopus. > At best, adult frogs normally grow back only a featureless, thin, cartilaginous spike, (…) Our procedure induced a regenerative response they normally never have, which resulted in bigger, more structured appendages. The bioreactor device triggered very complex downstream outcomes that bioengineers cannot yet micromanage directly. (via https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181106171813.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181106171813.h...)
- harywilke 5y ago
  Opening scene in a horror flic: "The bioreactor device triggered very complex downstream outcomes that bioengineers cannot yet micromanage directly."
  - kingcharles 5y ago
    https://www.reddit.com/r/onesentencehorror/ https://www.reddit.com/r/onesentencehorror/

bitxbitxbitcoin 5y ago

I volunteer to taste test the original limb versus the regrown one.

ada1981 5y ago

Perhaps there is a future where we get a general DNA mod early in our lifecycle that primes us for easier regeneration later in life.

lkrubner 5y ago
Assuming that at some point in the next 100 years we are able to develop an artificial womb, so women won't have to damage their bodies by giving birth, not only will birth become easier for everyone but it will also be easier to do such modifications with the fertilized egg.
- pure_simplicity 5y ago
  This is artificial womb idea is evolutionary suicide. Human reproduction would eventually cease to function without artificial wombs as selective pressure for natural reproductive fitness disappears, causing genetic drift to go unrestrained. Should humanity ever go through a technological bottleneck (solar flare?) where artificial wombs are no longer available, then the population would decline rapidly as only those who can still reproduce naturally will be able to have offspring. The subsequent bottleneck in human capital will ensure that it will take ages for humanity to reach the same level of technological ability, if we ever will.
  - lkrubner 5y ago
    "Human reproduction would eventually cease to function without artificial wombs as selective pressure for natural reproductive fitness disappears" I don't mean to be rude. I'm guessing English is not your first language?
    - ad404b8a372f2b9 5y ago
      This sentence is entirely clear within the context of genetic evolution.
      - 5y ago

yamrzou 5y ago

https://archive.fo/6I8hU https://archive.fo/6I8hU