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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[–] [email protected] 53 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 46 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Finally I can get my foreskin back

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh hey I could get mine back and then get circumcised again just to piss off all the crybabies who want to sue their parents for having them circumcised the first time.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago

5 dollars says you couldnt go through with it. Babys arent even medicined so neither will you!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

Extension to knife play

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

🎵 Detachable Penis 🎶

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

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

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

It will. It’ll finally grow back now.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago

How did you know? I gave no hints

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

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

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Thank you, Jesus, I needed you.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

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

[–] [email protected] 43 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks 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

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

just put people back in for repairs

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

True. It would probably be funny.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Isn't that a Michael Bay film?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Come on, it will only take 20 years.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks 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

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

With a built-in ice cream freezer!

[–] [email protected] 32 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Finally we can all become Deadpool

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Or Curt Connors

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Finally, I can become bisexual, and funny!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How do you know this?

What have you done?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

air raid sirens

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks 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!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Axolotls can't have cancer?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago

They can but have additional mechanisms to attack cancer apparently.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 weeks ago

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

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks 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.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

First step, give the banana a mouth

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

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

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago