YOU HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE FUTURE!

[wolven7]

From a number of sources: 'A man cut off his finger tip while working on a model plane. His brother, a medical research scientist, sent him a vial containing powdered pig bladder and told him to sprinkle on the severed finger tip. It grew back — “flesh, blood, vessels and nail” — in four weeks.

'That powder is a substance made from pig bladders called extracellular matrix. It is a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons often use to repair tendons and it holds some of the secrets behind the emerging new science of regenerative medicine.

'“It tells the body, start that process of tissue regrowth,” said Badylak.

'Badlayk is one of the many scientists who now believe every tissue in the body has cells which are capable of regeneration. All scientists have to do is find enough of those cells and “direct” them to grow.'

Now, this is all well and good, but the thing I can't find any mention of, in here, is the process of bone and cartilage regrowth. If I were to lose a whole damned finger, how would this work? Also, what about fingerprints? If the fingerprints regenerate, then that says something really interesting about that kind of tissue development. If they don't regenerate, then we have a whole new criminal element about which we need to worry.

But still. Future.

You're welcome.

Comments

[jerem-morrow.livejournal.com]

I've been on about this to anyone who'd listen for days now. GUTE SHEISSE!!!

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and I'm glad you posted it. Deserves a Lot of press.

[momentai.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I know Exacto knives are sharp, but to cut your finger tip off...maybe he was watching American idol while working.

And the fingerprint issue isn't much of an issue as there are already professionals willing to burn their prints off.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

True. But to be able to GROW NEW ONES. That's something.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

I was able to glean complete sense from that.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

That's what I mean. If they replicate the same patterns, then we have new information as to the formation of fingerprints. Either way, we have innovations in various fields. :)

[wacko1138.livejournal.com]

Ah, google. A little checking does seem to back up the story (including turning up tissue regeneration patents held by the brother), but also turned up a little medical malpractice suit that he lost back in 1983.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

So. Terrible oncologist, then? I'll definitely keep that in mind...

Should have known to always go for the biopsy.

Definitely going to keep an eye on these developments, then...

[pallandrome.livejournal.com]

hate to be a downer to potential coolness, but I thought that as long as one did not cut past the fist joint, the tip of a finger, well cared for, could always be regrown, powdered pig bits or not.

The challenge, from what I've read, is in the joint. If you could find a way to get the body to regrow the joint, you could get the body to regrow ANYTHING. This coming from a person with extremely vested interest in getting faulty bits to regrow properly...