regeneration

[ ri-jen-uh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. act of regenerating; state of being regenerated.
2. Electronics. a feedback process in which energy from the output of an amplifier is fed back to the grid circuit to reinforce the input.
3. Biology. the restoration or new growth by an organism of organs, tissues, etc., that have been lost, removed, or injured.
4. Theology. spiritual rebirth; religious revival.

regeneration

/ rĭ-jĕn′ə-rā′shən /

1. The regrowth of lost or destroyed parts or organs.

Other Words From

• nonre·gene·ration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of regeneration¹

1300–50; Middle English regeneracion < Late Latin regenerātiōn- (stem of regenerātiō ). See regenerate, -ion

A Closer Look

Regeneration of parts or, in some cases, nearly the entire body of an organism from a part, is more common than one might think. Many protists like the amoeba that have been cut in half can grow back into a complete organism so long as enough of the nuclear material is undamaged. Severed cell parts, such as flagella, can also be regrown in protists. New plants can be grown from cuttings, and plants can often be regenerated from a mass of fully differentiated cells (such as a section of a carrot root), which, if isolated in a suitable environment, turn into a mass of undifferentiated cells that develop into a fully differentiated organism. The capacity for regeneration varies widely in animals, with some able to regenerate whole limbs and others not, but the capacity is reduced significantly in more complex animals. Certain simple invertebrates like the hydra are always regenerating themselves. If cut into tiny pieces that are then mixed up, the pieces can reorganize themselves and grow back into a complete organism. Flatworms have the capacity to regenerate themselves from only a small mass of cells. If they are chopped up into fine pieces, each piece has the capacity to develop into an entire organism. Starfish, which are echinoderms, can regenerate their entire body from their central section and a single arm. Newts and salamanders can regenerate lost legs and parts of eyes, but many other amphibians such as frogs and toads cannot. Certain lizards can regenerate their tails. In many animals, these regenerated body parts are not as large as the originals but are usually sufficient to be functional. Many higher animals such as mammals regularly regenerate certain tissues such as hair and skin and portions of others such as bone, but most tissues cannot be regenerated. About 75 percent of the human liver can be removed, and it will regenerate into a functional organ. The physiological reasons for this are still not understood. Regeneration in this case takes the form of the enlargement of the remaining structures rather than the re-creation of the lost ones. Thus, there are four mechanisms for tissue regeneration in animals: the reorganization of existing cells (as in the hydra), the differentiation of stored stem cells into the specific tissues needed (as in the salamander), the dedifferentiation of neighboring tissue cells and their subsequent regrowth as cells of the needed type (as in plants as well as certain animals like the salamander), and the compensatory growth of the surviving cells of the specific tissue (as in the human liver). There is a great interest in stem cells because of their potential use in regenerating body tissues, such as nerve cells and heart muscle. The biochemical mechanisms for dedifferentiation are also the subject of intense study.

Example Sentences

As soon as Simard overcame her cancer, she started the Mother Tree Project to investigate forest renewal practices that protect biodiversity, carbon storage and regeneration.

From Washington Post

Mitoh first noticed the sea slugs’ extreme regeneration by chance.

From Science News For Students

This is a film about the long half-life of grief, though it also offers the promise of regeneration.

From Time

Someday, if we can learn and guide the effect of these rules, Levin thinks, we might be able to achieve things that our cells don’t seem able to manage on their own, such as the regeneration of limbs.

From Quanta Magazine

In his work, Levin pieces together how these fields can contain information that guides growth and regeneration.

From Nautilus

Coltrane had another power, a power of self-regeneration that also has to do with that power of communication.

From The Daily Beast

“I need clothes, and a big long scarf,” he says as he comes round from the regeneration.

From The Daily Beast

Other spinal cord regeneration efforts involve using stem cells to regrow damaged or lost neurons.

From The Daily Beast

They give him a potion that will let him pick his next regeneration.

From The Daily Beast

The regeneration of al Qaeda in Iraq and its expansion into Syria is a warning to American decision makers.

From The Daily Beast

Absence of any attempt at blood regeneration explains the marked difference in the blood picture.

From Project Gutenberg

And so did our patriots and leaders in the cause of regeneration know better, and never for a moment yielded to the base doctrine.

From Project Gutenberg

But regeneration, and not re-organization, is experienced by him when he is enabled to lay hold of God's Covenant.

From Project Gutenberg

This hour gives to the imaginative in every land a thrill, a yearning, and a pang of visual regeneration.

From Project Gutenberg

He aided materially in the work of regeneration accomplished by the physician in the village.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• rebirth
• reclamation
• reconstruction
• transformation

More About Regeneration

What does regeneration mean?

Regeneration is the process of regenerating—renewing or restoring something, especially after it has been damaged or lost. A close synonym is regrowth.

Regenerate and regeneration are commonly used in the context of biology to refer to the regrowth of part of an organism or environment. In animals, tissue, organs, or other body parts that have been injured or lost are sometimes regenerated. In some animals, regeneration happens on an even greater scale, with some being able to regrow an entire limb or tail. Environments that have been damaged or destroyed, like forests or grasslands damaged by fire, can also undergo regeneration.

Regeneration can also be used in other specific ways.

In the context of religion, regeneration is used to refer to a kind of spiritual rebirth. In city planning and development, regeneration is sometimes used as a synonym for redevelopment. In the context of data storage, regeneration is a method used to improve the speed and reliability of networks. In audio electronics, regeneration refers to a kind of feedback process that increases amplification.

Example: It is hoped that the experimental treatment will reduce healing time due to faster tissue regeneration.

Where does regeneration come from?

The first records of the word regeneration come from the 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb regenerāre, meaning “to bring forth again.” The prefix re- means “again” and generation means the “the act of producing or bringing into existence.”

In the natural world, regeneration happens in many different ways. Some plants can regrow from a single part—such as when you plant a chunk of carrot or potato and it sprouts again. Some simple organisms, like the hydra, can regenerate even after being torn apart. In humans, hair and skin are always regenerating, but even some organs are able to undergo regeneration, such as the liver and the lungs.

The more figurative uses of regeneration often liken the regrowth of something—such as a city or community—to the regrowth of a body part.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to regeneration?

• regenerate (verb)
• nonregeneration (noun)

What are some synonyms for regeneration?

• regrowth
• rebirth
• renewal

What are some words that share a root or word element with regeneration? 

• regenerative
• generation
• generate

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing regeneration?

• tissue
• organ
• body
• part
• limb
• grow

How is regeneration used in real life?

Regeneration can be used in many different contexts, but it’s most commonly used in biology.

Curious about the in vivo physiological function of MSCs during homeostasis and tissue regeneration? Watch this webinar with Dr. Fabio Rossi from @UBC! 🤫 https://t.co/1j0DctzgmZ pic.twitter.com/AAhACjQOpc

— STEMCELL Tech (@STEMCELLTech) July 17, 2020

Lucas Sanor & Parker Flowers at @Yale managed to track 25 Axolotl #genes possibly involved in limb #regeneration, implying "humans possess similar genes, scientists may one day discover how to activate them to help speed wound repair or regenerate tissue." https://t.co/diDceYXJdD

— Supertrends App (@SupertrendsApp) July 19, 2020

Very relevant to my soon-to-be-published study on microclimate impacts on forest regeneration after disturbance, and a reminder that management decisions will have a big effect on how forests respond to climate change. Forests are resilient!https://t.co/iO09wIJsqH

— Amanda Carlson (@amandacarlson_1) May 14, 2020

 

 

Try using regeneration!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym for regeneration? 

A. regrowth
B. reduction
C. rebirth
D. renewal