Regenerating Muscle Cells With Newt-Inspired Tech

[Katee]

"The NY Times and the Wall Street Journal are reporting on a new paper, published in the science journal Cell Stem Cell (http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/fulltext/S1934-5909%2810%2900282-1), where scientists, inspired by the ability of newts and other lower organisms to regrow lost limbs, have demonstrated that adult mammalian cells can be made to regenerate (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/science/06cell.html) by suppressing a pair of anti-cancer genes (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657504575411311604984190.html). 'Interfering with tumor suppressor genes is a dangerous game, but Dr. Pomerantz said the genes could be inhibited for just a short period by applying the right dose of drug. When the drug has dissipated, the antitumor function of the gene would be restored. Finding the right combination of genes to suppress was a critical step in the new research. One of the two tumor suppressor genes is an ancient gene, known as Rb, which is naturally inactivated in newts and fish when they start regenerating tissue. Mammals possess both the Rb gene and a backup, called the Arf gene, which will close down a cancer-prone cell if Rb fails to do so.' Is regeneration nature's default, only turned off by our evolved defenses against cancer?"

Slashdot Science (http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/08/06/1447236/Regenerating-Muscle-Cells-With-Newt-Inspired-Tech?from=rss)

[Maurya]

So my little brain starts to wonder, are newts and their relatives susceptible to cancer? Has anyone studied this? Just wondering. :)

[mellowsong]

So my little brain starts to wonder, are newts and their relatives susceptible to cancer? Has anyone studied this? Just wondering. :)

Great question Maurya and I had to look it up :) Yes, they are susceptible to cancer but it is extremely rare and from what is known so far, confined to the dermis and epidermis. Scientists speculate it has something to do with their regenerative ability.

[EmmaPeel]

I believe that this also has much to do with environment. Wondering if newts have only recently been getting cancer?

Cancer is nothing more than the cells expression going wild, like a freight train with no brakes.

Since we have both Rb and Arf, I would think that nature did put them there for a reason.

When will we learn that Cancer expression is multifactoral and the environment is huge in this?
Playing around with genes is not the answer...cleaning up everyone's environment is...!

Meh....