The first evidence that mammals regenerate kidneys

The African spiny rat (Acomys) has harder hair on its back.

Now, researchers reported in iScience on November 3 that these small mammals can also regenerate severely damaged internal organs.

Principal investigator of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington Mark Majesky said: “Due to progressive tissue fibrosis leading to the loss of vital organ function, the global health burden is huge

Early studies on wound healing in traumatic spiny rats showed that Majesky and colleagues (including the attending physician and associate professor of pediatrics at Washington University Daryl Okamura) knew that these animals had solved the problem of tissue fibrosis (scarring) after injury during their evolution

To find out, they exposed the spiny rat to an environment known to cause severe kidney damage to other mice (Mus musculus)

Majesky said: "The agouti’s kidney function was completely restored in two weeks, which surprised

In order to find out how spiny mice do this, the researchers took a comprehensive look at the genes they express

They also discovered a delayed response of immune cells called macrophages, which play a role in fibrosis

Majesky said: "We have opened a new window for the development of possible treatments for chronic kidney disease, which may be applicable to other organs that show similar loss of function due to progressive tissue fibrosis

Okamura added: "Our goal is to understand what nature has done to evolve a mammalian genome that can regenerate to heal tissue damage without producing fibrotic scars, and apply the learned experience to New treatments for kidney disease are under development

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iScience (@iScience_CP) is an open access journal published by Cell Press.