Researchers from Texas A&M University have successfully managed to stimulate a regenerative tissue response in mice that had a toe removed. The technique involved two proteins, FGF2 and bone morphogenetic protein 2, which generate the raw material for regeneration and then builds tissue with it. The regenerative cells were reprogrammed to transform into a blastema, a temporary cell 'bud' used by salamanders to prepare tissue for regrow, and to replace the lost appendage. This approach is unusual in the regenerative medicine field, which focuses on fresh application of stem cells rather than new ones. However, further research is required before this approach can be trialed in humans. The implications for medical treatments are huge.