Daily Curiosity

Animals · Question

The freshwater amphibian, the Axolotl, can regrow it's limbs.

Answer

True

The story behind the answer

True. Axolotls can regrow entire limbs—and more. After an injury, cells at the wound site revert to an embryonic-like state and form a blastema, a mass of progenitor cells that rebuilds bones, muscles, nerves, and skin without scarring. They can also regenerate parts of the spinal cord, heart, jaw, and even brain tissue, making them a model for regenerative biology.

Axolotls are neotenic salamanders from the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City, retaining juvenile traits like feathery external gills throughout life. Scientists study them to uncover clues that might one day improve human healing. Memory tip: “Axolotl” sounds like “a lot’ll grow back”—a lot, indeed, including whole limbs.

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