A Drug For Healthy Tissue Re-Growth, Without Needing Stem Cells?

An old evolutionary pathway used in embryonic development, the so called HIF-1a pathway can be used to trigger regeneration of tissue in mice without needing stem cell application, according a new study published in Science Translational Medicine. An oxygen regulated pathway, HIF-1a factor is usually degraded but when inhibited from doing so, increased levels enabled regeneration of tissue.  An unusual strain of mice, the MRL strain, is already capable of doing this, but when a more ordinary group of furry critters in this study were given an inhibiting drug (after having a hole punched through their ear, ouch), they displayed equal regeneration to the ‘mutant’ bunch. 

Read more at Medical Express