No Leg? No Problem

🐸 Scientists at Tufts University managed to successfully trigger the regrowth of legs in adult frogs, according to a study published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances, describing it as a "step closer to the goal of regenerative medicine."

• The leg regrowth was aided by a silicone wearable bioreactor called a BioDome, which was used to administer a special five-drug cocktail within the first 24 hours of amputation.
• After 18 months, the regenerated limb was almost fully functional, growing several toes but lacking the webbing between them.
• The team said the fact that only a brief exposure to the drugs resulted in a months-long regrowing process suggests that frogs – and perhaps other animals – have dormant regenerative capabilities that can be triggered into action.
• "I think the way to really achieve regenerative medicine is to exploit the collective intelligence of the body's cells. They already know how to build all of these organs. They did it during embryonic development. All that information is still there," study author Michael Levin told CNN.

+First time’s the charm?: The cocktail was the team’s initial attempt at synthesizing the right combination of ingredients and doses.