Axolotls are one of the most interesting endemic animals in Mexico. These ancient amphibians can not only live in and out of water, but are also capable of regenerate their limbs.
The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) inhabits the lake area of Xochimilco, in Mexico City. It is an amphibian with a glossy appearance, tender and smiling, which is very representative of our country.
This species is extremely relevant to the Mexican worldview, since its name comes from Nahuatl Xolotl. Which makes him related to the Aztec god of death, resurrection and play.
Some of its characteristics are: lungs, a wide head, round eyes, lack of eyelids and gills, as well as a fin-shaped tail that is used for swimming.
The average size of axolotls is 15 centimeters, but it can measure up to 30 centimeters.
However, The axolotl is in serious danger of extinction. due to the destruction and contamination of their habitat by human beings.
In this sense, the inhabitants of Xochimilco, researchers and associations promote both the care and conservation of axolotls. So we will tell you about the amazing regeneration of these animals.
Regeneration of axolotls
Axolotls are capable of regenerating their tail, legs, heart, brain, and even their spinal cord.. This quality caught the attention of many scientists who are dedicated to the study of the axolotl genome.
According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature, the axolotl has 32 billion letters of DNA in its body; that is to say 10 times larger than that of the human.
It is important to point out that 23 thousand coding genes of this amphibian contain genetic instructions that allow it to produce proteins capable of regeneration.
This was discovered when the scientists looked at the expansion of the size of the introns. Introns are regions of DNA that are part of the primary transcription of ribonucleic acid. From this process, evidence was obtained that intron size contributes to limb regeneration, according to Nature.
On the other hand, researchers from the Advanced Genomics Unit (UGA-Langebio) of Cinvestavpoint out that the axolotl has resident cells that are reprogrammed and dedifferentiated in the amputated area.
By this he means that the cells lose their identity and become stem cells that form a blastema, which is the precursor mass of the limb to be regenerated.
However, the genome of axolotls is still under study. So the findings continue on how they can regenerate their limbs.
Do you know the Mexican legend about the axolotl? Here we tell you
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