this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2025
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"In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers reveal an elegant molecular mechanism that acts like a GPS coordinate system for regenerating cells.... the puzzle was how the cells in the regenerating limb-stump controlled their levels so precisely to know exactly where they were on the axis from shoulder to hand.”

The Nature paper:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59497-5

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[–] charade_you_are@sh.itjust.works 48 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Does this lead to me getting a bigger dick? Otherwise, I'm not interested!

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 43 points 1 month ago (3 children)

no but if it gets cut off for whatever reason...

[–] Hupf@feddit.org 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 month ago

Extension to knife play

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Fuck. I want to get rid of it, not grow a new one.

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

You could get rid of it. Several times, even.

[–] LogicalDrivel@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

🎵 Detachable Penis 🎶

[–] Breezy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Thats a bit more kink that isn't wanted..... usually..

[–] simplejack@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago (4 children)

It will. It’ll finally grow back now.

[–] charade_you_are@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 month ago

How did you know? I gave no hints

[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Hey! I'm a grower too! Definitely not a shower.

[–] msage@programming.dev 3 points 1 month ago

Thank you, Jesus, I needed you.

[–] JadenSmith@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

So this is what they meant by Jesus' second coming.

[–] CaptDust@sh.itjust.works 41 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Woah, fascinating. Of course very far out, but manipulating and regenerating human limbs in a similar way would be serious sci-fi stuff. Just impressive

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 18 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Not that I would be an expert, but limbs start forming so early on in the womb, that that will probably be a very difficult thing to do. Nevertheless, never say never.

[–] FartMaster69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

just put people back in for repairs

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 month ago
[–] slaacaa@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

How it could work in a future: they pre-grow limbs in labs for a few months/yearst, then when somebody needs it, they attach one that matches closely. After that, you get the treatment and the limb continues growing until it reaches the size needed.

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Imagine running around with a child arm for a year or so.

[–] sylver_dragon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Compared to no arm for the rest of my life, being called "baby-hand" for a year seems like a small price to pay.

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

True. It would probably be funny.

[–] gnuplusmatt@reddthat.com 1 points 1 month ago

Isn't that a Michael Bay film?

[–] Lumisal@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Now's a good time to point out that the first organ transplant happened in the 1950s, and it hasn't been even 80 years since, meaning there are not only people alive who remember a time when that didn't exist, but also there are surgeons who may only be in their early 40s that became transplant surgeons while the first ever transplant surgeon was still alive, and may have even gotten tutelage from him.

[–] snipon@feddit.dk 2 points 1 month ago

Come on, it will only take 20 years.

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Hmm, I think I’d rather have a cool cyberpunk robot limb then just regrowing my shitty old flesh and blood one

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 month ago

With a built-in ice cream freezer!

[–] WanderingThoughts@europe.pub 31 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Until they try it on humans and it turns out it also grows cancer.

[–] SGG@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Finally we can all become Deadpool

[–] SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Or Curt Connors

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Finally, I can become bisexual, and funny!

[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Then they just need to figure out how to use the non-cancer-gene from those blind naked African rats who can run equally fast forward and backwards, look like a wrinkly penis with legs and teeth and are friends with Ron Stoppable and we will have figured out a cure to cancer while regenerating body parts left and right. It'll be great.

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Do you want morlocks? 'Cos that's how you get morlocks

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How do you know this?

What have you done?

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 1 points 1 month ago

air raid sirens

[–] MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

Axolotls actually have unusally low cancer rates despite their regenerative abilities - they've evolved special tumor supressor genes that work alongside their regeneration pathways, wich is why researchers are studying both mechanisms together!

[–] sylver_dragon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

That seems to be what they are trying to control. Just "turning on" the regenerative mechanisms is a fast track to a cancerous growth. This research seems to be aimed at understanding how to provide that mechanism with the chemical instruction of what to grow into. While we aren't there yet, each time a new part of that instruction set is figured out, we get a step closer to regrowing lost tissue. Living organisms are incredibly complex and understanding large, complex processes like growing a limb is going to take a lot of work and time.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Axolotls can't have cancer?

[–] WanderingThoughts@europe.pub 6 points 1 month ago

They can but have additional mechanisms to attack cancer apparently.

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 month ago

I don't want to know how much testing they needed to do for that

[–] OberonSwanson@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

At this point, I'm willing to a genetic test subject. Worst case I look like an axolotl, but others will be one step closer to enjoying the fruits.

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's a great idea. A banana that regenerates when you cut it in half.

[–] youCanCallMeDragon@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

First step, give the banana a mouth

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

second step...I'll be in my bunk.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 month ago