Page 1 of Medical Q. Which part of the body is replaced/regenerated every 3/6mths?

I read/heard somewhere that there is an organ of the body that is completely regenerated over a few months?

Or did I imagine it? :/

Need to know so I can win an argument with the wife. ;)

SKIN

Sort of.....The outer skin layer (epidermis) is replaced every 3-6 months. However the many complex layers beneath (dermis, blood vessels etc) are always there providing the new outer cells. The skin is the largest organ in(on) the body. The liver is the largest internal organ.

Yep, definitely Skin. What do you think all that dust is in the corners of the room? ;)

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Why don`t you come up and see me sometime? ccgi.mgillespie.plus.com/liteon/smf/index.php

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Yep, definitely Skin
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What do you think all that dust is in the corners of the room? Dandruff!

I am sure I heard it was an internal organ, like the liver/kidney etc.

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I am sure I heard it was an internal organ, like the liver/kidney etc.

Skin is both internal and external

Who ever heard of liver/kidney regenerating? if that happended you would`nt get medical conditions like liver cerrocis (sp) or kidney problems

Actually, i think the liver does regenerate. A bit anyway. In that if you cut a bit out and come back a few months later you have a whole liver.

Not sure how this fits in with the whole cirrhosis of the liver argument though


Edit] Ahhh wikipedia. How did anyone know anything before you?

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The liver is among the few internal human organs capable of natural regeneration of lost tissue; as little as 25% of remaining liver can regenerate into a whole liver again. This is predominantly due to the hepatocytes acting as unipotential stem cells (i.e. a single hepatocyte can divide into two hepatocyte daughter cells). There is also some evidence of bipotential stem cells, called oval cells, which can differentiate into either hepatocytes or cholangiocytes (cells that line the bile ducts).

This item was edited on Friday, 17th November 2006, 09:54

Yeah, liver is what I thought before I saw the replies.

I`d also heard that it`s the only part of your body that doesn`t age because it`s always regenerating.
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"Fog on the moors - all`s well indoors. Fog in the `ouse - sun`s out for field mouse."

Note the point about "as little as 25%". This means that any less than that cannot fully regenerate. Basically, all of our organs partially regenerate throughout life due to stem cells. BUT, the stem cells have a finite capacity themselves, and we lose them as we age, which is why our organs lose function over time.

Cirrhosis is replacement of healthy liver cells with connective tissue leading to shrinkage and failure of function. It`s a chronic condition which takes years to become apparent, but basically the stem cells are lost with the healthy stuff.

In total, the continual replacement of old cells means there`s very little of you that`s been around for much more than a few years, with the exception of nervous tissue, which has limited regeneration capacity.

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In total, the continual replacement of old cells means there`s very little of you that`s been around for much more than a few years, with the exception of nervous tissue, which has limited regeneration capacity.And brain cells? I though they couldn`t regenerate?

Ste