Researchers from the USC school of medicine have discovered the exact genetical pathways that allow zebrafish and lizards alike to regenerate sensory cells. This comes with the precedent and general understanding that zebrafish are regenerators, and that have many different kinds of cells that will regenerate. The experiments revealed that DNA controls elements known as "enhancers" that amplify the production of a protein called ATOH1, which induces different genes required to make sensory cells of the inner ear. With the use of CRISPR, scientists were able to delete the exact enhancers (5 of them) that lead to this regeneration, functionally impairing the zebrafish formation of sensory hearing cells during their development, and their regeneration following an injury. The scientists found that certain sister cell types in regenerative vertebrates maintain open enhancers, and these enhancers allow related cells to replace each other after following damage.
Other studies have explored the ability to form sensory hearing cells in the inner ear and described two specific genes that are useful for hearing regeneration in adults. Sox4 and Sox11 are necessary in the production of hearing cells in mice. Sox4 and Sox11 in high levels stimulated mice progenitor cells to form sensory hearing cells in a petri dish. There are many different uses of genetical testing and CRISPR and the way that we study that which surrounds us. I do not think that we should look into regeneration as a way to fix who we are as humans, but I definitely think that is important to understand how these processes occur, and why there are naturally occurring regeneration genetical pathways in many different kinds of animals.
https://phys.org/news/2024-12-genetic-silence-fish-lizards-regenerate.html
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-08-stem-cell-tune-regeneration.html
This research is fascinating! Zebrafish and lizards regenerate sensory cells through enhancers that amplify the ATOH1 protein, crucial for forming inner ear cells. Using CRISPR, scientists showed deleting these enhancers impairs regeneration. Similarly, Sox4 and Sox11 enable sensory cell formation in mice, suggesting mammals may have latent regenerative potential. Studying these pathways helps us understand regeneration without necessarily altering human biology—offering hope for therapies like hearing restoration while respecting natural processes.
ReplyDeleteI just read another blog also about how genetic research was used to repair hearing. The blog was about how researchers were able to restore some of a deaf baby girls hearing. It seems like there is a bunch of research currently being done on restoring hearing loss! I suffer from mild hearing loss that is also genetic. My grandmother is deaf. So it is great to hear because I'm sure I will need it someday! It is fascinating how they can use regenerative abilities in fish and lizards to help humans too.
ReplyDeleteThis research is pretty cool and its no surprise they found a way to regenerate sensory cells in fish because they are often used for research with their varying traits. The research for this as it evolves hopefully can be applied to human research to further understand human patheays and how to apply this. Amphibians are different from people but hey do help us to understand certain processes that can help people so I hope to see the progress withing a few years.
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