Armadillos that host leprosy-causing bacteria may provide insight into how to spark liver regeneration.
Armadillos stash a secret under their shells—their liver grows dramatically when they are infected with the bacterium that causes leprosy in people. This oddity, revealed in a new study, may provide clues about how the body controls liver regeneration and how to jump-start the process in people.
Enter leprosy. Almost a decade ago, regeneration biologist Anura Rambukkana of the University of Edinburgh and colleagues found leprosy-causing bacteria invade cells called Schwann cells that embrace neurons. Once the bacteria have settled into their new home, they spur the cells to revert to a less mature developmental state, becoming more like stem cells.
Patients with infections or other liver conditions can develop tumors and accumulate scar tissue that can hamper the organ’s activity. However, the researchers detected no signs of either problem in the armadillos. What’s more, their analysis of several liver proteins suggested the organs were working properly.
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