10 months her

In the crystal clear waters of Lake Xochimilco in central Mexico, lives an elusive salamander known as an axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). This species never metamorphoss.

Scientists study these remarkable salamanders because of their remarkable ability to regrow lost parts of their bodies. While it can take months or even years, the end result is a fully functional limb that looks exactly as it did before it was amputated. axolotl.cyou

How It Works Axolotls stand apart from other amphibians in that they do not go through metamorphosis and remain aquatic throughout their lives.

These salamanders have gills like fish, which allows them to breathe underwater and avoid predators. Furthermore, they possess dorsal fins, webbed feet, and a tail for added mobility.

Their unique qualities make them popular pets and research subjects in the lab, but one of their most intriguing capabilities is their remarkable ability to regrow limbs after amputation.

To fully comprehend how axolotls can regenerate limbs, researchers need to explore these animals at the molecular level. To do this, they must identify what molecular instruments play a role in this symphony of regeneration.

One such instrument is the immune system, a complex network of cells responsible for regeneration. On an axolotl fingertip that has recently regenerated, these immune cells glow green as they migrate around inside its blastema.

Requirements for Regeneration Regeneration in axolotls occurs through a series of steps. First, blood cells clot at the site of injury and skin cells cover it. Subsequently, fibroblasts from opposite sides travel to join forces in what's known as a blastema--an area of dense fibrous tissue.

The blastema then divides into cells that form the appropriate body part and grow outward, creating a new limb. This process occurs over several days and the regeneration is not complete until all of the regenerated limb is formed.

Scientists have observed that injecting a drug to eliminate macrophages from an axolotl's limb before an amputation leads to scar tissue instead of regeneration, suggesting these immune cells may be essential for regenerating their limbs. This discovery could provide new avenues for humans to prevent scars from forming which could impede regenerative processes.

Chemicals that Help Salamanders' remarkable ability to regrow limbs and other body parts has fascinated scientists for decades. Unfortunately, the cells and molecules responsible for this remarkable recovery remained hidden from view until recently.

After amputation, axolotls seal the wound site with a layer of skin cells called wound epithelium that quickly grows and divides. This structure, known as a blastema, becomes the site where new limbs will sprout.

As the blastema grows, it attracts Schwann cells - cells known for regeneration of new limbs. Furthermore, other specialized cells in an axolotl limb include immune cells called macrophages which prevent inflammation at wound sites and connective tissue cells that store information about where new tissue should differentiate when the limb regenerates.

Scientists are studying how axolotls regrow their limbs, and the intricate details of this process provide key clues as to how we might regenerate our own bodies. For instance, researchers hope to gain more insight into how axolotls heal their lungs; this knowledge could potentially assist in treating human lung disease.

Conclusions After an axolotl loses a limb, blood cells clot at the site, skin cells cover it, and nerve fibers innervate a specialized cell called the wound epithelium. From here, cells begin to differentiate into those needed for growing a new limb.

Scientists still do not fully comprehend how axolotls manage such remarkable regeneration. For instance, they don't understand why an axolotl can regenerate an arm multiple times but not indefinitely--after five limb amputations, most limbs stop growing back.

Another pressing concern is how a limb knows when it has reached the appropriate size. These questions remain largely unsolved, though researchers believe they won't remain so for much longer.

Whited is researching the axolotl's ability to regrow its limbs as part of her lab's efforts to understand how animals heal after injury. She hopes her research can help doctors predict which patients will recover from amputations and provide guidance on treating traumatic injuries.