Scientists from the University of Washington speculate that humans can regenerate limbs, similar to intestinal worms, Developmental Dynamics reports.
Among the worms - intestinal breathing are considered the closest to humans. They are able to renew all parts of the body, including the head, as well as the viscera, and recreate the nervous system. A person has similar genes, further study of which, according to scientists, will contribute to the restoration of human limbs.
The head of this study, Sean Luttrell, says that intestinal worms regenerate almost all of themselves, which allows them to be almost immortal. The worm is able not only to recreate the body tissues necessary for itself, but also to "copy" damaged organs. So, three to four days after his body is cut in half, he grows a mouth and proboscis, five to ten days - kidneys and a heart, fifteen days later forms a neural tube, which is analogous to the human spinal cord and brain.
Scientists have high hopes for the results of further studies of intestinal-breathing worms. In the nearest future, we are planning to identify specific cells responsible for regeneration.