Written by Helen Tran
Have you ever wished you could regenerate a broken part of your body? Salamanders and zebrafish are some of the animals that can regenerate injured tissues such as their hearts and fins. These organisms share a common ancestor with humans. However, humans have lost the ability to regenerate injured tissues over time. In order to understand why some animals are able to regenerate injured tissues, scientists have been looking at the genes that allow regeneration.
Kenneth D. Poss, a professor of cell biology at Duke University’s School of Medicine, discovered that the answer is not found in the genes but the regulatory sequence of the genes [1]. Humans actually do have the genes that code for tissue regeneration; however, they are not “turned on.” Regulatory sequences allow genes to be turned on and off. Known as tissue regeneration enhancer elements (TREEs), these regulatory sequences turns on the genes for regeneration of injured tissues and turn off the genes once the tissues are done regenerating.
Kenneth D. Poss, a professor of cell biology at Duke University’s School of Medicine, discovered that the answer is not found in the genes but the regulatory sequence of the genes [1]. Humans actually do have the genes that code for tissue regeneration; however, they are not “turned on.” Regulatory sequences allow genes to be turned on and off. Known as tissue regeneration enhancer elements (TREEs), these regulatory sequences turns on the genes for regeneration of injured tissues and turn off the genes once the tissues are done regenerating.
Poss’ Lab studied the “leptin b” gene that is responsible for the regeneration of the fin and heart of the zebrafish [1] . Close to the gene, the enhancer element was found. The enhancer element is a region of DNA that allows proteins to bind onto the DNA to activate transcription. The enhancer element of the zebrafish has two distinct parts: one that activates genes to regenerate in the injured fin and the other that activates genes to regenerate in the injured heart. Subsequently, the sequences are then fused into two regeneration genes to produce a zebrafish with improved regeneration abilities after being injured [1]. After this discovery, the Poss Lab then collaborated with Brian L. Black from the University of California, San Francisco, where he introduced a tissue regeneration enhancer element to a gene known as “lacZ” in mice and discovered that the mice could activate gene expression in their injured paws and hearts.
Poss believes that genetic elements could be used to help mammals such as humans to repair and regrow injured or lost body parts. He states that his team “wants to know how regeneration happens, with the ultimate goal of helping humans realize their full regenerative potential.” The discovery of the enhancer element enables the possibility for future discoveries in this topic and has the potential to “awaken the genes responsible for the regeneration that we all carry with us.” If the regeneration gene can be turned on in human cells, just like the zebrafish, there would be a variety of diseases that could then be cured. Patients who need heart transplants could instead regenerate a healthy heart of their own. The possibilities are endless.
References:
1. “Duke Study Uncovers Genetic Elements That Drive Regeneration.”Duke Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.