Flightless I Expression Enhances Murine Claw Regeneration Following Digit Amputation

The document from January 1, 2017, details a study on the impact of Flightless I (Flii) overexpression on claw regeneration in mice following digit amputation. The study found that mice with Flii overexpression (FIT mice) exhibited enhanced claw regeneration compared to wild-type (WT) mice, with FIT mice showing significant claw regrowth and the formation of a germinal matrix after both distal and proximal amputations. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of a germinal matrix in FIT mice, which is necessary for nail regeneration. The study also demonstrated that Flii overexpression in connective tissue fibroblasts could induce nail-like structures in vitro, suggesting that Flii influences mesenchymal signaling and the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, which are important for cell proliferation and regeneration. The findings suggest that Flii is a potential therapeutic target for improving tissue regeneration. However, the number of mice used in the study was not provided.