Scientists Create First Map of Human Limb Development

New Atlas Reveals How Fingers and Toes Form, Provides Insights into Congenital Limb Syndromes

Scientists have created the first spatial cell atlas of the entire developing human limb, revealing new insights into how fingers and toes form.
The atlas was created by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, and EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute, using cutting-edge single-cell and spatial technologies.
The study found that human fingers and toes do not grow outward, but form from within a larger foundational bud, as intervening cells recede to reveal the digits beneath.
The atlas also uncovers new links between developmental cells and some congenital limb syndromes, such as short fingers and extra digits.
The findings provide an in-depth characterization of limb development in humans and could impact the diagnosis and treatment of congenital limb syndromes.