Axolotls’ Limb Regeneration
- inquiries800
- Jun 23
- 1 min read
Scientists studying axolotls have made exciting progress in understanding salamanders’ ability to regrow entire limbs. A recent Northeastern University study revealed that a molecule called retinoic acid, made from vitamin A, acts like a GPS, guiding where and how the limb should grow back. Using glow-in-the-dark axolotls, researchers were able to track this process in real time and learned that when this “GPS” signal is disrupted, the limb doesn’t grow back properly. They also identified a gene called “Shox” that plays a key role in helping the new limb form. It takes axolotls 40-60 days to fully regrow limbs, and they develop without scars or deformities. This breakthrough could someday help doctors understand how to activate similar healing abilities in people.
Image via Northeastern University
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