Conclusion and Perspectives: Implications for Human Regeneration

Abstract

AbstractThe introductory discussion on the biological conditions that might have allowed the evolution of tail regeneration in lizards (Sect. 1.2) indicated that the mechanisms for organ regeneration may be induced by medical treatments that utilize knowledge of the biological process responsible for organ regeneration in amniotes. These medical interventions should aim to limit inflammation, to increase the number of stem cells, and to stimulate dermal–epidermal interactions by removing the early formation of the barrier represented by a stable basement membrane between epidermis and dermis. Lizards represent a good model to study all these conditions, especially when comparing inflammation and scarring in the limb (or in the cauterized tail) with healing in the normal tail. Therefore, the lizard model is useful for studies that aim to detect the factors involved in the delicate equilibrium between regeneration (the environment present in the normal tail stump) and scarring (the environment present in the limb stump or in the manipulated tail stump).Although detailed cytological information on the process of tail and limb regeneration in lizards is now available, there is little molecular information on specific genes and proteins activated during regeneration. Furthermore, the role of these genes in the process of regeneration in lizards remains completely unknown (Liu et al. 2006; Jiang et al. 2007).KeywordsSpinal CordSpinal Cord InjuryOrgan RegenerationLumbar Spinal CordThoracic Spinal CordThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.