An earful of gill: USC Stem Cell study points to the evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear

The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, with co-authors Tom Lozito and Denis Evseenko, this intricate coil of cartilage has a surprisingly ancient origin in the gills of fishes and…Continue Reading An earful of gill: USC Stem Cell study points to the evolutionary origin of the mammalian outer ear

USC Stem Cell study breaks the silence on how fish and lizards regenerate hearing

A new USC Stem Cell study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals—including fish and lizards—to naturally regenerate their hearing. The findings could guide future efforts to stimulate the regeneration of sensory hearing cells in patients with hearing loss and balance…Continue Reading USC Stem Cell study breaks the silence on how fish and lizards regenerate hearing

Researchers unlock mystery of cartilage regeneration in lizards

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have published the first detailed description of the interplay between two cell types that allow lizards to regenerate their tails. This research, funded by the National Institutes of Health and published on August 10 in Nature Communications, focused on lizards’ unusual ability to…Continue Reading Researchers unlock mystery of cartilage regeneration in lizards

A Tale of tails: How reptile regeneration could help humans

“I’ve always been interested in science and in lizards. I got my first pet lizard when I was around 4 years old, and it was love at first sight,” says Thomas Lozito, Ph.D., who now studies the creatures as an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, stem cell biology, and regenerative medicine at the University of…Continue Reading A Tale of tails: How reptile regeneration could help humans

Aided by stem cells, a lizard regenerates a perfect tail for the first time in 250 million years

Lizards can regrow severed tails, making them the closest relative to humans that can regenerate a lost appendage. But in lieu of the original tail that includes a spinal column and nerves, the replacement structure is an imperfect cartilage tube. Now, for the first time, a USC-led study in Nature Communications describes how stem cells…Continue Reading Aided by stem cells, a lizard regenerates a perfect tail for the first time in 250 million years

Lizards’ immune systems are not only for fighting germs, but also for regrowing severed tails

The human immune system has been getting a bad rap lately. However, the lizard immune system is finally receiving its due credit for enabling lizards to regrow severed tails. In a recent study in the Journal of Immunology and Regenerative Medicine, researchers from USC and the University of Pittsburgh describe how immune cells, called phagocytes,…Continue Reading Lizards’ immune systems are not only for fighting germs, but also for regrowing severed tails