How Deer Antlers Regrow So Fast Through Gene Control
Greg Howard
22nd April, 2024
Image Source: Mohan Nannapaneni (photographer)
Key Findings
- Scientists at Changchun Sci-Tech University studied how deer antlers rapidly regenerate
- They found that a microRNA called miR-140-3p is crucial for the quick formation of cartilage in antler growth
- The study revealed a feedback loop where a protein (Prrx1) and miR-140-3p regulate each other to balance cell growth and differentiation
References
Main Study
1) Reciprocal negative feedback between Prrx1 and miR-140-3p regulates rapid chondrogenesis in the regenerating antler
Published 20th April, 2024
https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-024-00573-x
Related Studies
2) Histological examination of antler regeneration in red deer (Cervus elaphus).
Journal: The anatomical record. Part A, Discoveries in molecular, cellular, and evolutionary biology, Issue: Vol 282, Issue 2, Feb 2005
3) Galectin-1 promotes angiogenesis and chondrogenesis during antler regeneration.
4) The effects of CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of the TGF-β1 gene on antler cartilage cells in vitro.
5) Chondrogenesis in the regenerating antler tip in red deer: expression of collagen types I, IIA, IIB, and X demonstrated by in situ nucleic acid hybridization and immunocytochemistry.
Journal: Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists, Issue: Vol 205, Issue 3, Mar 1996