While humans have limited potential for limb regeneration, some animals such as salamanders and zebrafish can regeneration bony appendages following amputation. This occurs through formation of a specialized mass of progenitor cells called the blastema.
Unlike in mammals, bone progenitor cells in the blastema form through dedifferentiation, a process whereby mature cells at the amputation stump acquire stem cell-like properties.
Using modern technologies including high-throughput sequencing and gene editing, we are working to understand the mechanisms of bone cell dedifferentiation and blastema formation. By studying nature, we hope to identify new strategies to enhance complex regeneration in humans.