Why don't humans regrow lost limbs?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of why humans do not regrow lost limbs, exploring biological, developmental, and technological perspectives. Participants consider the potential for regenerative medicine, gene therapy, and the implications of advancements in prosthetic technology.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose using biological markers like bioluminescence and gene therapy to enable limb regrowth in humans, drawing parallels with species like newts and salamanders.
  • Others argue that human limb development is fundamentally different from that of other species, emphasizing the complexity of embryonic development and the limitations of adult regeneration.
  • One participant mentions that crucial proteins responsible for cell regeneration are inactive in adults, which may contribute to the inability to regrow limbs.
  • There are references to companies developing "regenerative matrices" that could potentially trigger limb regeneration, though the process is described as slow and not akin to science fiction.
  • Some participants speculate that altering the local context around an adult limb could lead to unexpected regenerative outcomes, though skepticism remains about the feasibility of such approaches.
  • There is a suggestion that advancements in prosthetic technology might provide more practical solutions than biological regeneration, with discussions about the ethical implications of replacing biological limbs with mechanical ones.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with some supporting the exploration of regenerative medicine while others remain skeptical about its feasibility. There is no consensus on the potential for limb regrowth in humans, and the discussion reflects multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the complexity of embryonic development, the role of specific proteins in regeneration, and the challenges of translating findings from other species to humans. The discussion also highlights the potential ethical dilemmas associated with advancements in prosthetic technology.

  • #31
Ruslan_Sharipov said:
So, nowadays, lost limbs can be reconstructed without any genomics and stem cells.

Remember, we are not talking about reconstructing something that LOOKS like a limb, we are talking about reconstructing something that SERVES as a limb.
 
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  • #32
If you reconstruct bones, and muscles, and blood vessels, and nerves, and joints, and skin,
then your item LOOKING like a limb will SERVE as a limb.
 
  • #33
Ruslan_Sharipov said:
If you reconstruct bones, and muscles, and blood vessels, and nerves, and joints, and skin, then your item LOOKING like a limb will SERVE as a limb.

Ruslan_Sharipov said:
So, nowadays, lost limbs can be reconstructed without any genomics and stem cells.

Do you have any evidence to support a claim that it is currently possible?
 
  • #34
Borek said:
Do you have any evidence to support a claim that it is currently possible?

No, I have not. But I am looking for the opportunity to prove that it is possible in a way I have described in rough details!
 
  • #35
I believe that it is possible and with time will be done as the progress that Mankind is making is exponential and the fact that it already happens in other animals even though they are quite different from us proves that amazing regeneration is possible.
 
  • #36
(there seems to be a problem as my last post seems to disappear unless I send another after it!)

I believe that it is possible and with time will be done as the progress that Mankind is making is exponential and the fact that it already happens in other animals even though they are quite different from us proves that amazing regeneration is possible.
 

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