A Chinese research team recently published significant findings in the international journal Science, revealing for the first time that retinoic acid—a metabolite of vitamin A—serves as a critical molecular switch regulating mammalian regenerative capacity. This discovery marks a major breakthrough in original innovation in regenerative medicine in China.

The study was led by the team of Wang Wei from the Beijing Institute of Life Sciences and the Biomedical Interdisciplinary Research Institute at Tsinghua University. Using mammalian ear pinnae as the research model, the team systematically compared the wound healing processes in rabbit and mouse ears through spatial transcriptomics and cell lineage tracing. "Retinoic acid regulates gene expression, cell differentiation, and microenvironmental signaling, acting as the core hub linking genetic regulation with regenerative capacity," Wang Wei stated. Experiments confirmed that exogenous supplementation of retinoic acid successfully activates complete organ regeneration in mammals.

This study not only achieved complete organ regeneration in mammals for the first time but also provides a crucial theoretical foundation for developing new regenerative medicine therapies. The team will next explore the potential clinical applications of this discovery.