A salamander can lose an entire limb and, remarkably, grow it back. Not merely a stump or a crude replacement, but a functioning limb containing bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and skin. Some amphibians can even regenerate parts of their hearts, spinal cords, eyes and other tissues. Humans, by comparison, have extremely limited regenerative abilities. We can repair wounds, replace some damaged cells and regenerate parts of the liver, but losing an arm or leg is permanent. So what is different about amphibians? And perhaps more importantly: could the biological instructions that allow them to regenerate eventually be used to improve human healing? The remarkable world of regeneration The most famous examples come from salamanders, particularly the axolotl and various newt species. If an axolotl loses a limb, the wound doesn't simply scar over. Instead, something extraordinary happens. Cells around the injury change their behaviour. The wound closes, but rather than immediatel...
Follow the Clues. Challenge the Narrative.