Species‑specific oxygen sensing controls limb regenerative capacity
© 2026 EPFL
The Bioinformatics Competence Center (BICC) contributed to research led by Can Aztekin’s group (now at the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society), which highlighted the role of oxygen-sensing capacity in the initiation of vertebrate limb regeneration.
This study uncovered why mammals fail to regenerate limbs like amphibians, identifying species‑specific oxygen sensing as a key factor. Lowering oxygen levels or stabilizing oxygen-sensitive hypoxia-inducible factor 1A (HIF1A) triggered regeneration‑like responses in embryonic mouse limbs, while Xenopus tadpoles naturally maintained these pro‑regenerative features. The findings reveal a targetable oxygen‑sensing mechanism that could unlock latent regenerative programs in mammals.
Through analyses of multi‑species scRNA‑seq, time‑resolved scMultiomics, and bulk ATAC‑seq datasets, the BICC staff contributed to identifying the molecular changes underlying cross‑species differences in oxygen sensing.
For more information please see this news release.
Georgios Tsissios, Marion Leleu, Kelly Hu, Alp Eren Demirtas, Hanrong Hu, Sabrina Vinzens, Toru Kawanishi, Evangelia Skoufa, Atharva Valanju, Alessandro Valente, Lorenzo Noseda, Haruki Ochi, Antonio Herrera, Selman Sakar, Mikiko Tanaka, Sara A. Wickström, Fides Zenk, Can Aztekin. Species-specific oxygen sensing governs the initiation of vertebrate limb regeneration. Science 09 April 2026. DOI: 10.1126/science.adw8526