Axolotls are also able to regenerate their spinal cord, heart and limbs.
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Scientists from Switzerland and Austria have said that axolotls, aquatic salamanders known for their ability to regenerate spinal cords, hearts and limbs, can also partially regenerate their brains if part of them is removed. In the course of a new study, scientists decided to find out how these creatures manage to do this, reports Live science.
Scientists wanted to check whether axolotls are able to regenerate all types of cells in their brains, including the connections that connect one part of this organ with another. For this, they created an atlas of the cells that make up the brain of these creatures.
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Different types of cells have different functions. They can perform different roles because they express different genes. Understanding what types of cells are in the brain and what they do helps to understand the big picture of how it works. It also allows you to draw evolutionary parallels and look for common trends in different species.
The researchers performed RNA sequencing to identify the different cells that make up the axolotl brain, including different types of neurons and progenitor cells. They determined which genes are active when progenitor cells become neurons. It turns out that many of them go through an intermediate type called neuroblasts.
Using RNA sequencing, the scientists were able to capture the new cells as they regenerate between one and 12 weeks after the injury. The researchers found that all types of cells that were removed were eventually restored.
Regeneration of an animal's brain occurs in three stages. The first phase begins with a rapid increase in the number of progenitor cells, and a small part of these cells activates the wound healing process. In the second phase, progenitor cells begin to differentiate into neuroblasts. Finally, in the third phase, neuroblasts differentiate into the same types of neurons that were initially lost.
The most surprising thing for scientists was that the lost connections between the removed brain region and other parts of it were restored. This indicates that the area that regenerated also restored its functions.
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