REGENERATION

REGENERATION 
 

      Regeneration is a Biological process in some living organisms including both plants and animals. Regeneration is an ability to recreate or replace the  lost  or damaged or amputated parts like limbs, organs  or tissues  thereby restoring the  original function of the particular lost / damaged part.   

      Regenerative capacity is inversely related to the complexity of the body structure i.e., more complex the structure of an animal less the  capacity of regeneration

Ex. Mammals cannot regeneration generate.  While organisms like sponges, planarians have an enhanced capacity to regeneration generate;.  

      The ability of regeneration varies  greatly among living things.  Plants can regenerate  all parts of its from precursor cells, as Trees  which is cut off to the ground level , in due course, sprouts starts appearing at the margins of the stump. Then grow on to develop new stems, leaves and flowers. 

      Coming to the Regeneration in animals, Invertebrates like Sponges, Hydra, Planarian are capable of regenerating   entire body from  just a conglomeration of their cells.  Starfish can regenerate the entire organism from just one arm and the central disk. 

      In  Vertebrates   ability of regeneration is found in Amphibians and Reptiles.  Amphibians  can regeneration a missing tail, legs and even eyes,  This remarkable ability is particularly pronounced in the larval stage.  

      Regeneration process is extended to human beings also to some level.  In 1970, studies showed that children up to the age of 10 who lose fingertips in accidents can regenerate the tip of the finger within a month provided their wounds are not sealed up with flaps of skin. There are some references claiming that human ribs could regenerate if the Peritoneum the membrane surrounding the ribs were left intact.  The  Human liver is one the few glands  in the body that has the ability to regenerate  as little as 25% of its tissue. Regenerative Capacity of the Kidney remains largely unexplored.  The regenerative capacity of the mammalian Kidney is limited compare to that of lower vertebrates. Like other organs, the Kidney is also known to regenerate completely in lower vertebrates such as fish. Some of the known fish that show remarkable capacity of kidney regeneration are goldfish, skates, rays and sharks.