Lizards are incredible creatures. They have a pretty amazing ability to shed their tails as a means of survival, using it as their strategy when faced with unexpected predators.
What’s even more astonishing is that these severed tails can fully regrow in approximately 60 days. While the regenerated tail appears normal, it’s actually composed of softer cartilage, replacing the original bone.
Now, scientists from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California have made a significant breakthrough by identifying the crucial cells responsible for facilitating this cartilage regeneration.
This discovery has far-reaching implications, potentially offering a pathway to address cartilage damage caused by osteoarthritis – a debilitating degenerative disease currently lacking a cure. It also affects approximately 10% of the U.S. population.
Among higher vertebrates, lizards stand out as some of the only creatures capable of regenerating non-hardening cartilage. They are also the closest relatives to mammals with this remarkable regenerative ability.
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature Communications, the research team has provided the first comprehensive insight into the intricate interaction between two specific cell types crucial for lizard tail regeneration.
Thomas Lozito, the corresponding author and an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, expressed awe at lizards’ cartilage-regenerating capabilities, saying “Lizards are kind of magical in their ability to regenerate cartilage because they can regenerate large amounts of cartilage and it doesn’t transition to bone.”
He adds, “The dream is to find a way to translate that process in humans because they cannot repair cartilage. This represents an important step because we need to understand the process in great detail before we can try to recreate it in mammals.”
The key cell type in this regenerative process is the fibroblast. The researchers discovered that changes in gene activity within certain fibroblast cells are instrumental in enabling the creation of new cartilage.
Additionally, they identified another critical player: a type of immune cell known as the septoclast, which plays a pivotal role in inhibiting fibrosis or scarring, thereby creating an environment conducive to regeneration.
“Those two cell types working together laid the foundation for the beginning of the regenerative process. A major difference between humans and lizards is that human tissue tends to scar and that scarring prevents tissue regeneration,” explained Dr. Lozito.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of their research is the successful induction of cartilage regeneration in lizard limbs, which typically do not regrow like tails. This achievement has sparked optimism among researchers about the possibility of replicating this process in mammals, starting with mice.
By applying the techniques honed through their experiments on lizard limbs, they hope to pave the way for non-invasive procedures to regenerate various types of joints. This tantalizing prospect opens up a realm of possibilities, including the dream of coaches and athletes – a future where joint regeneration is within reach.
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