Findings described in a new study by Stanford
scientists may be the first step toward a major revolution in human
regenerative medicine—a future where advanced organ damage can be
repaired by the body itself. In the May 2007 issue of The FASEB
Journal, researchers show that a human evolutionary ancestor, the sea
squirt, can correct abnormalities over a series of generations,
suggesting that a similar regenerative process might be possible in
people.
"We hope the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon
will ultimately lead to new insights regarding the potential of cells
and tissues to be reprogrammed and regenerate compromised organs in
humans," said Ayelet Voskoboynik, Ph.D., of Stanford University and
first author of the study.
Missing limbs, scarred hearts,
broken spines, and wounded muscles always try to repair themselves, but
often the result is invalidism or disease. Even some tumors try to
revert to normal, but are unsuccessful. If the genetic sequence
described in the sea squirt applies to humans, this study represents a
major step for regenerative medicine.
The sea squirt is more
closely related to humans than many would expect. It may appear similar
to a sea sponge, worm, or plant, but it is actually not closely related
to any of these organisms. Sea squirt larvae have primitive spinal
cords, distinguishing them in the greater chain of life and on the
evolutionary ladder. Specifically, sea squirts, like humans, belong to
a group of animals called chordates (organisms with some level of
spinal cord development), and many scientists believe that sea squirts
approximate what the very first human chordate ancestor may have been
like 550 million years ago. By studying this modern day representative
of our evolutionary ancestor, researchers are able to identify
fundamental principles of complex processes, such as healing and organ
Regeneration, on which new treatments are based.
"The aim of
biomedical science is to understand life so we can defend our bodies
against injury, deformity, and disease. The ultimate medical treatment
would be to change an abnormal organ or tissue back to its vibrant,
normal state," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The
FASEB Journal. "This study is a landmark in regenerative medicine; the
Stanford group has accomplished the biological equivalent of turning a
sow’s ear into a silk purse and back again."
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The Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal will be
available for interviews on this or other articles at a press reception
at this year’s Experimental Biology meeting in Washington, D.C.,
on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 between 1:30-3 PM in the Experimental Biology
press lounge. (Food and drink will be provided.) For more information
about the meeting, visit www.eb2007.org. A fact sheet on this article and an image of the sea squirt is available at The FASEB Journal's Press Room. Visit www.fasebj.org
and click "Press Room" in the left column. The FASEB Journal is
published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology (FASEB) and is consistently ranked among the top three biology
journals worldwide by the Institute for Scientific Information. FASEB
comprises 21 nonprofit societies with more than 80,000 members, making
it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the
United States. FASEB advances biological science through collaborative
advocacy for research policies that promote scientific progress and
education and lead to improvements in human health.
Contact: Cody Mooneyhan
cmooneyhan@faseb.org
301-634-7104
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
