I came across this really interesting article and wanted to know what you think?
https://www.scienced...211124718315730
Highlights
Adult Xenopus laevis frogs are capable of induced increased regenerative response
Improved limb regeneration is driven by a wearable bioreactor containing progesterone
Improvements occur at molecular, anatomical, and behavioral (functional) levels
A 24-hr treatment is sufficient to trigger many months of regenerative growth
SummaryThe induction of limb repair in adult vertebrates is a pressing, unsolved problem. Here, we characterize the effects of an integrated device that delivers drugs to severed hindlimbs of adult Xenopus laevis, which normally regenerate cartilaginous spikes after amputation. A wearable bioreactor containing a silk protein-based hydrogel that delivered progesterone to the wound site immediately after hindlimb amputation for only 24 hr induced the regeneration of paddle-like structures in adult frogs. Molecular markers, morphometric analysis, X-ray imaging, immunofluorescence, and behavioral assays were used to characterize the differences between the paddle-like structures of successful regenerates and hypomorphic spikes that grew in untreated animals. Our experiments establish a model for testing therapeutic cocktails in vertebrate hindlimb regeneration, identify pro-regenerative activities of progesterone-containing bioreactors, and provide proof of principle of brief use of integrated device-based delivery of small-molecule drugs as a viable strategy to induce and maintain a long-term regenerative response.