Newts have the ability to regenerate not only their legs and tails, but also their hearts and brains! This amazing regenerative ability has long attracted the attention of regenerative medicine researchers. Dr. Chikafumi CHIBA of the University of Tsukuba and his research team discovered a gene unique to newts that is thought to play a key role in regeneration. Observation of the protein produced by this gene during regeneration suggests the possibility that newts use their own special red blood cells to "turn back time" on cells in the vicinity of areas that need regeneration, thereby allowing them to rebuild body parts. Researchers hope that clarification of the detailed mechanism behind this unusual phenomenon could someday be applied to human regenerative medicine. In this episode, we'll delve into the amazing regenerative ability of newts!