Extract
Limb overgrowth is a rare pathological condition that may affect either all tissues equally or some tissues selectively and may be associated with other systemic conditions, such as tumorigenesis. While much progress has been made in recent years regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in limb development and, in particular, the formation of new bone, the precise cause of limb overgrowth remains largely unknown. Recent emerging evidence in the converging fields of nerve-tumor biology and limb regeneration has provided evidence that the vascular and peripheral nervous systems might be critically involved in regulating limb size. In this paper, we review the evidence supporting the notion that peripheral nerve abnormalities might cause limb and/or digit overgrowth.