Salamander People | Titanium Teeth | Brain Builder

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—Steve 🥳 

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Salamander People

Human limb regeneration could be rebranded axolotl tricks. Researchers discovered how the beloved creature knows what and where to regrow.

• Axolotl = salamander with remarkable regeneration ability

• Gradient chemical signals helped map tissue identity

• Retinoic acid tells cells where they are in the body

Blocking these signals disrupted limb regrowth, suggesting vertebrate regeneration requires combining positional memory and localized cues. Further research could lead to human regeneration after traumatic injuries. Or let us grow axolotl hair.

Axolotl gardens

Titanium Teeth

Maybe you can grow “new” teeth as an adult? Titanium dental implant expands into place and feels more like the real thing.

• No screws required

• Bonds with gums and jawbone

• Reduces trauma and eliminates the need for bone cement

Animal studies showed stronger integration and lower inflammation. Keep brushing your teeth though, researchers still need to test larger animals before moving on to clinical trials. Tooth fairies are gonna be rich!

Or should we axolotl our teeth back???

Since we’re on a regrowth kick this week, let’s look back on how axolotl’s regenerate their thinkers 👇️ 

Brain Builder

Axolotls are so smart, they can regrow their brains. Researchers mapped the telencephalon region, then removed a section to learn exactly how these dragon-like salamanders regenerate brain tissue.

• Telencephalon has a large impact on animal behavior/cognition

• Phase 1: Specialized progenitor cells begin healing

• Phase 2: Those cells turn into neuroblasts (newly discovered in axolotl)

Regeneration is completed in phase 3, when neuroblasts become the exact neurons that were removed. Learning how these slippery salamanders build their brains back could lead to advances in regenerative medicine research.

Extra brains? More like “ask-a-lot-ls”

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Unnatural Selection

Last week: “How did you pronounce "muon" before today?”

In an alternate Poke-verse, Moo and Mootwo mystified fans of the original 151.

st3v on site

st3v-alotl

It’s not just asking a lotl questions, st3v asks the right ones at the right…well, he certainly asks a lotl questions!

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