19/05/2026
THE SELF-HEALING ANIMAL
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is one of the few animals on Earth capable of regenerating entire body parts. If it loses a leg, tail, spinal cord, or even parts of its heart and brain, it can regrow them almost perfectly without permanent scars.
What makes this even more incredible is that the regenerated body parts function normally, as if they were never damaged. Scientists discovered that axolotls activate special cells called blastema cells, which can rebuild complex tissues and organs.
Because of these abilities, researchers are studying axolotls to understand whether similar regenerative mechanisms could someday help humans recover from spinal cord injuries or organ damage.
References:
Ge**er, T. et al. (2018). Single-cell analysis uncovers convergence of cell identities during axolotl limb regeneration. Nature Communications.
McCusker, C. & Gardiner, D. (2014). The axolotl model for regeneration and aging research. Cell Cycle.