manaliKnowledge Contributor
Which marine creature has the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including limbs and organs?
Which marine creature has the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including limbs and organs?
The axolotl, a type of salamander, has the remarkable ability to regenerate lost body parts, including limbs, spinal cord, heart, and even parts of its brain.
Several amphibians and fish are capable of regenerating tails and limbs, but axolotls take this ability up a notch by regenerating jaws, spinal cords, skin, ovary and lung tissue, and even portions of their hearts and brains. What’s more, an axolotl can continue to regenerate throughout its life.
The regenerative abilities of this animal’s cells are of significant interest to researchers hoping to translate this ability to humans. This is a remarkable capability: If an axolotl loses a limb, it regenerates, perfectly restoring the appendage to the right size and orientation. Within weeks, the junction between the old and new tissue vanishes entirely.