Ajolote: the Mexican animal that regenerates its brain

This amphibian has a unique quality: it regenerates limbs and organs without leaving a scar.

In the immensity of biodiversity that exists on the planet we can find unique qualities, such as the mammals of the order of monotremata. These animals stand out for retaining reptilian qualities, such as reproduction by means of eggs, or the fact of having a cloaca, a single orifice for the exit of the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts. But another even more striking example is the Mexican axolotl or ajolote..

It is an amphibian that has an impressive characteristic: the ability to regenerate parts of its body is highly efficient. is highly efficient. They easily recover from an amputated limb and even repair severely damaged vital organs, including the brain, without any problems. In a matter of months, these wounds disappear completely, leaving no scar.

The salamander, an eternally young amphibian

The salamander, or Ambystoma mexicanumis an amphibian of the caudate order (in other words, of the family of salamanders and newts), which has the peculiarity that it retains its larval traits until it reaches adulthood, a characteristic known as neoteny. This means that it maintains the dorsal fin that runs along its entire body and external gills, which form a crown on its head.which form a crown on its head. By maintaining these qualities, it needs to live permanently in the water, unlike other congeners.

The fact that its larval qualities do not disappear does not mean that it cannot mature. If an axolotl is subjected to high levels of stress (such as sudden temperature changes), it can metamorphose, it can undergo metamorphosisIt can metamorphose into a kind of terrestrial salamander, although these are very rare cases.

Regeneration of body parts, a surprising attribute

But what has most attracted the attention of the scientific community is the salamander's high capacity for regeneration. It is possibly the greatest on the planet. In fact, entire portions of the brain can regenerate without leaving sequelae. Knowing the cellular mechanisms used for the complete repair of damaged tissues is a mystery that could have applications in today's medicine. could have applications in today's medicine.

Captive animal

The location of this amphibian is very limited, as it currently only inhabits currently only inhabits the Xochimilco Lake in Mexico City, Mexico.. Formerly it was widespread throughout the region, but water pollution has managed to reduce the number of this species, which is very sensitive to environmental changes. It is currently included in the list of endangered animals and its observation in its natural habitat is very rare.

For this reason, the salamander is bred in captivity to preserve its existence.. The truth is that it has adapted well to this kind of life, without presenting problems to reproduce. Another reason that makes it a good model for laboratory use.

Model organism

Because of its capacity for regeneration, the salamander is the subject of study to discover the cellular mechanisms used to regrow lost tissue, including the repair of vital organs. In addition, they are animals whose bodies accept transplants with ease, which is unusual.

But they are also a model of embryonic development. This is due to another characteristic they offer, which is that their embryo is transparent. In addition to their ease of reproduction in captivity, the eggs they lay allow us to observe, through a microscope, the development of a new organism in all its splendor.

Their adaptation to captive life has also had an effect on their genetics. The natural skin colors of the salamander are black and brown, but in breeding they have been obtained in different colors, such as yellow and even albino, i.e. without pigmentation.but in breeding they have been obtained in different colors, such as yellow and even albinos, i.e., without pigmentation. Possibly, if you have seen a photo of this amphibian, it will have been of the latter type.

Regenerating tissues in humans

Based on their research, part of the scientific community believes that focusing studies on discovering how they regenerate their bodies could be extrapolated to humans in the future. Knowledge of these cellular mechanisms could help to make the possibility of recovering a lost limb or combating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's a reality.

It is not surprising that governments such as the United States invest millions in research on the salamander, in the hope that it will allow tissue regeneration in humans. In his specific case, for the recovery of serious wounds of his soldiers.

So far, the most that has been achieved in terms of regeneration in humans is the recovery of the tip of a finger. There is still a long way to go to repair a complete limb, including bone and muscle.

In danger of extinction

In spite of all that has been said, the salamander is an animal that is in danger of extinction because it lives in a very specific area of Central America and because of the levels of contamination found there. Being an aquatic organism, it is very sensitive to intoxication in these places. To this must be added its capture and breeding to market it as a domestic pet, and in some cases, to be an ingredient in recipes.