Axolotl - the Mexican wonder healer

Description: Axolotl - the Mexican wonder healerResearch Field: Developmental and Evolutionary Biology/GeneticsA Mexican salamander is the world champion in regeneration. This primeval animal, called the axolotl, doesn’t care if one of its legs gets ripped off - as it will grow back in a matter of days. The same holds true for a lost tail, a part of its jaw, an eye, or even a piece of its heart.A team of scientists headed by Elly Tanaka at the Max Planck Institute for Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden is taking a closer look at this astounding phenomenon. Their hope is to unveil the secrets of the axolotl for the benefit of mankind. After all, human beings are also capable of regenerating to a certain extent - for example, wound healing. The researchers believe that humans lost the ability to completely regenerate during the course of evolution. It is, however, possible that this ability has only been suppressed and could somehow be reactivated in the future.The researchers have already discovered the first messengers that reprogram cells in axolotls, allowing muscle or cartilage cells to be produced from nerve cells. However, it may still take decades until the results can also be applied to human beings. The Mexican salamander is therefore assured its status as world champion regenerator for years to come.Copyright: © Deutsche WellePublished at ScienceStage.com in cooperation with the Max Planck Society.Involved Institutes: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics