One of the amazing things about axolotls, or salamanders in general, is their ability to regenerate certain body parts. This useful skill can help keep the creature healthy and alive for much longer than if they lost a limb for good. But just what body parts can an axolotl regenerate?
What Body Parts Can An Axolotl Regenerate?
Axolotls have the ability to regenerate various body parts, including limbs, heart, lungs, eyes, and even parts of their brain. While that is impressive enough, the axolotl will regrow these body parts without any scarring.
The ability to regenerate these vital parts of their body has stumped the scientific community for many years. Recently, however, researchers have begun to learn more and more about this entirely aquatic creature and just how capable it is at growing back lost and damaged body parts.
Can An Axolotl Regrow Its Head?
With that said, they don’t have the ability to regrow everything. An example of this is their brain. They can regrow parts of their brain, such as the telencephalon, which is the front portion, but they cannot regrow their entire brain. They also cannot regrow their head if it was decapitated. There are creatures, however, that can regrow their heads, such as the sea slug, but this isn’t something the axolotl is capable of.
How Does An Axolotl Regenerate?
The regeneration process is still somewhat of a mystery and is still being researched. What they have found, however, is that the animal’s tissues work together to detect loss of limb and then coordinate its regrowth. This is done by reactivating the very genetic circuits that were used to form the limbs when the animal was in its embryonic development.
How Long Does It Take For An Axolotl To Regrow A Body Part?
The time it takes for an axolotl to regrow a body part varies on several factors, including the body part that needs to be regrown and the age/health of the animal. According to MDI Biological Laboratory scientist, James Godwin, Ph.D., it takes about 3 weeks for an axolotl to regrow a crushed spinal cord. While a young axolotl that is healthy and has lost a limb can typically regrow it within 50 days.
How Many Times Can An Axolotl Regenerate?
Scientists are not sure how many times an axolotl can regrow its body parts. While studies have shown these aquatic creatures can regrow their limbs multiple times in a row, the regeneration process is not something that they can do for their entire lifespan. During the research, they did find that after the limbs were removed 5 times, most axolotl’s body parts stop regenerating. Unfortunately, scientists are not sure why animals cannot regenerate body parts indefinitely.
Are Axolotls Immortal?
While it may seem like any creature that has the ability to regenerate body parts and organs would live forever, this just isn’t the case. Despite what you may believe, axolotls are actually mortal. These animals have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years, which means they can die naturally of old age. They can also be killed by humans and predators, such as herons, storks, and large fish. Since they are completely aquatic, keeping them out of water will also cause them to die.
Will An Axolotl Grow Its Legs Back?
Axolotls, as well as other salamanders, can regrow entire limbs, including their legs, that have been lost. The new limb will be the correct orientation and size, making a seamless transition from its original body to the new limb. This is a benefit over some other creatures who can regenerate lost body parts but in a smaller or deformed state.
Is Axolotl The Only Animals That Can Regenerate?
In pop culture, regeneration is not an all too uncommon thing; just think about how many times Doctor Who has regenerated. In the real world, however, you may assume regeneration is something that just doesn’t happen. That is far from the truth. In fact, there are a wide array of animals that can regrow various body parts. These animals include:
- Starfish
- Iguana
- Sea cucumber
- Five-Lined Skink
- Crayfish
- Jellyfish
Alligators even have the ability to regrow certain body parts. Although they cannot regrow bones or organs, they can regenerate skin, connective tissue, and cartilage. If they lose their tail, they can regrow a new one, though this new tail is much smaller and deformed than their original tail.
How Can Axolotls Regeneration Help Humans?
Humans actually possess the same genes that the axolotls use to regenerate. This has caused optimism in the scientific community that they will find a way to speed up the human body’s ability to heal wounds or even possibly regenerate limbs and organs. However, research is still ongoing and scientists do not have a timeframe for when these advancements could potentially take place, if ever.
