The upper portion of the thumb was chipped off and his whole nail was removed.
Actually, I'm doing this for a friend. I've read an article in a biology newsletter which tells of a certain incident when a child lost all of his fingers due to an accident. All that was left were bleeding stump-like remains where his fingers once were. The clinic dismissed him carelessly, paying no attention, whatsoever to the juvenile's serious injury. After 2 months, the young boy returned and presented his hand to the nurses who had absent-mindedly treated him before. To their surprise, the fingers were growing back, nails and all! The boy was 11 years old. There was no irregularity found in his DNA structure which could possibly be the surprising cause of his fingers' regeneration.
I was wondering if the same thing would apply to this injured friend of mine. He was already treated, at least seriously in this situation, and he has adapted to his situation rapidly. He wonders about his thumb.
2006-09-26 09:12:38 · 5 answers · asked by The Ideal Son 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
Well, for your information, it is said to have happened in juveniles whose bodies aren't fully developed yet. In this phase of growing, the body is capable of reproducing cells and mending damaged tissue. If you need evidence, here's, my point of reference. Biology: The World of Life, Sixth Edition, Robert A. Wallace. p. 443, essay 16.1.
P.S. I stand corrected. The essay mentions that the boy only accidentally cut a portion of one of his fingers.
2006-09-26 09:24:28 · update #1
It CAN happen in some situations. It depends on so many variables that it is not worth hoping for it to happen in your case.
Most kids no longer have the right cells to trigger any kind of regeneration- the articles you have read were published exactly because the situations were so unusual.
Factors include things like amount of damage to bone, muscle, etc., type of injury (clean or jagged, for example, was heat involved, etc.) Personal biology is a factor as well- some people just plain heal better and differnetly.
The bit about 'no irregularity on the DNA' is a red herring. We simply do not understand the entire DNA sequence, and DNA does not directly affect many aspects of regeneration anyway. (It is the plan for the body, it does not directly regulate the body).
2006-09-26 10:29:21 · answer #1 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it doesn't. My brother lost a toe when he was about ten and it hasn't grown back. The story could be a hoax. Appendages don't grow back.
2006-09-26 09:23:34 · answer #2 · answered by worldneverchanges 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The NEWS Magazine and the Enquirer reports some very phenomenal and fascinating news. But very little of it is rill.Most of it is fiction and pore at bests.
2006-09-26 09:37:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would be irresponsible to believe in something like this happening when you are told otherwise by a medical professional. Humans aren't lizards.
2006-09-26 09:15:43 · answer #4 · answered by QuestionWyrm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Appendages, fingers, toes, arms, legs do not grow back. Sorry.
2006-09-26 09:15:50 · answer #5 · answered by jessieroocatsopolous 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋