Species-specific oxygen sensing governs the initiation of vertebrate limb regeneration

Read the full article See related articles

Listed in

This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.
Log in to save this article

Abstract

Why mammals cannot regenerate limbs, unlike amphibians, presents a longstanding puzzle in biology. We show that exposing ex vivo amputated embryonic mouse limbs to subatmospheric oxygen environment, or stabilizing oxygen-sensitive HIF1A enables not only rapid wound healing, but alters cellular mechanics, and reshapes the histone landscape to prime regenerative fates. Conversely, regenerative Xenopus tadpole limbs display low oxygen-sensing capacity, robust wound healing, a regenerative histone landscape, and glycolytic programs even under high oxygen. This reduced oxygen-sensing capacity, in stark contrast to mammals, associates with decreased HIF1A-regulating gene expressions. Our findings thus uncover species-specific oxygen sensing as a unifying mechanism for limb regeneration initiation across vertebrates, reveal how aquatic subatmospheric habitats may enhance regenerative capabilities, and identify targetable barriers to unlock latent limb regenerative programs in adult mammals.

Article activity feed