Regenerating skin without leaving scars - Elucidation of the mechanism of newts: Tsukuba University Research Group

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

傷痕残さず皮膚を再生 イモリの仕組み解明 筑波大研究グループ

2022年2月3日 6時47分

両生類のイモリでは傷ができても、傷痕が残らずに皮膚が再生されます。筑波大学などの研究グループは、イモリでは傷痕の元になる毛細血管やたんぱく質が作られずに、表皮の細胞が増殖して皮膚が再生していることを初めて明らかにし、人でも傷痕を残さずに皮膚を再生させる研究につながると期待されています。

筑波大学の千葉親文教授らの研究グループは、イモリで傷痕が残らずに皮膚が再生されることに注目し、傷の内部を解析するなどして、イモリの皮膚の回復過程を詳しく調べました。

その結果、人では傷口にかさぶたができたあと炎症が起き、毛細血管やコラーゲンなどの「線維性たんぱく質」が作られ、皮膚が再生するのに対し、イモリでは傷口の周りだけでなく、周辺の表皮の細胞が通常のおよそ2倍のスピードで分裂することで、炎症を長引かせずに傷口を覆って、皮膚が再生することが分かったということです。

研究グループは、イモリで傷痕が残らず、皮膚の色合いやきめが元どおりに再生されるのは、再生の過程で炎症が抑えられ、毛細血管や線維性たんぱく質が作られないことを突き止めたとしています。

イモリの皮膚再生の仕組みが明らかになったのは初めてで、人でも傷痕を残さずに皮膚を再生させる方法の研究につながると期待されています。

千葉教授「新しい技術開発につながる」

千葉教授は「私たち人間にはない、自然界の動物の能力を分析することが、新しい技術開発につながると考えている」と話しています。

Translation

Even if the amphibian newt had a wound, its skin could regenerate without leaving a scar. Research groups from the University of Tsukuba and others revealed for the first time in newts that as the cells of the epidermis proliferated, the skin was regenerated without creating the capillaries and proteins that caused scars. It was expected that this could lead to research on skin regeneration that could left no scars even in human.

A research group in the University of Tsukuba led by Professor Chiba Chikafumi (千葉親文) and others had focused on the fact that the newt regenerated the skin without leaving scars, and analyzed the inside of the wound to investigate the recovery process of the newt's skin in detail.

As a result it was found that in human, inflammation would occur as scab was formed on the wound when regenerating the skin, and "fibrous proteins" such as capillaries and collagen were produced. In newts, not only around the wound, but also at the wound surrounding, cells of the epidermis divided at about twice the normal rate, covering the wound and regenerating the skin without prolonging the inflammation.

The research group found that the newt left no scars and the skin tone and texture were restored to their original state because inflammation was suppressed during the regeneration process, and capillaries and fibrous proteins had not been produced.

This was the first time that the mechanism of skin regeneration of newts had been clarified, and it was expected that it could lead to research on methods in humans for regenerating skin without leaving scars.

Professor Chiba - "leading to new technology development"

Professor Chiba said, "We believe that analyzing the abilities of animals in the natural world, which we humans do not have, will lead to the development of new technologies."

            So, this is the first time that the mechanism of skin regeneration in newts is made known, and it is expected that it will lead to research on methods for regenerating skin without leaving scars in humans.