Regeneration is a biological process by which organisms restore or replace lost or damaged tissues, organs, or body parts through controlled cell proliferation, differentiation, and patterning. It involves activation of resident stem or progenitor cells, dedifferentiation of mature cells in some taxa, and re-establishment of appropriate positional information via morphogen gradients and signaling pathways such as Wnt, FGF, BMP, and Notch. Regeneration can be epimorphic, with blastema formation and large-scale pattern reconstruction, or morphallactic, involving extensive tissue remodeling. Its extent and fidelity are species- and tissue-specific, constrained by genetic programs, immune responses, and age-dependent changes in cellular plasticity.
Imagine losing an arm and simply growing a new one. This amazing ability of regeneration isn't just something from a superhero movie—it actually happens in real life for some animals.
Plants & Animals
Oct 5, 2026
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50
Extreme dry mouth, caused by radiation used to treat cancer and by autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's disease, radically affects quality of life for sufferers. It can hamper speaking, swallowing and eating, and for years ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 1, 2026
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27
Farshid Alambeigi refers to one of his most ambitious research efforts as "the sci-fi project." The idea lives up to the name. He is developing robotic technology that could one day help manufacture living tissue—potentially ...
Biotechnology
Oct 1, 2026
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The human brain is terrible at healing itself from injury or disease. But some animals can harness their own cellular abilities not only to repair injuries but also to regrow their brains entirely. Researchers from the University ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 21, 2026
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After an injury, DNA not only changes its activity but also the way it is organized spatially within the cell nucleus. In this process, certain regions of DNA establish new physical contacts through chromatin loops that act ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 14, 2026
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11
On a sunny spring day at Penn State, Cristin Millett, professor of art in the College of Arts and Architecture's School of Visual Arts, inserted a catheter needle into the umbilical vein of a placenta.
Biotechnology
Sep 11, 2026
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11
Editing a plant's genes is only half the battle. Before a new, improved trait can ever reach a farmer's field, scientists must be able to grow a whole plant from just a few edited cells—a process that can be slow, unreliable ...
Biotechnology
Sep 10, 2026
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Researchers in Chile have designed an unlikely new garment for injured penguins—snug red vests threaded with copper and zinc that they hope will help the aquatic birds heal faster.
Plants & Animals
Sep 3, 2026
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33
The intestines rely on different strategies to rebuild themselves in response to diet changes versus infections, according to a new Cornell study—a finding that can shed light on how gut health adapts to harsh conditions, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 30, 2026
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138
Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, have developed a nanoparticle that can address the various factors hindering the healing of chronic wounds, which include ulcers associated with ...
Bio & Medicine
Aug 20, 2026
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