Towards Understanding the Microenvironmental Control of Reindeer Antler Regeneration

Reindeer antler tip and base tissues show an immature, highly remodeled skeletal microenvironment versus mature metacarpal cortical bone, with distinct extracellular matrix proteomic signatures.

• Why it matters: Understanding what makes antler regeneration work requires defining the structural and molecular features of the regenerative microenvironment, which remains incompletely characterized.
• What they did: The study compared Rangifer tarandus antler tip and base tissues with mature metacarpal cortical bone using structural, compositional, histological, and proteomic analyses.
• The result: Antlers had smaller, less crystalline apatite, higher carbonate substitution, higher organic matrix, lower mineral density and greater porosity, plus proteomic enrichment for extracellular matrix reorganization and regeneration-related pathways.

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