The axolotls are small amphibians that have a peculiar characteristic: they never age. But this non-aging process is also accompanied by a great capacity to regenerate entire body parts. This Mexican amphibian can regenerate complete limbs, as well as its heart and spinal cord, but researchers wondered if it is also capable of regenerating its brain after suffering injuries and found a surprising answer.
The team of scientists decided to focus on the axolotl’s telencephalon, which is basically the largest division of the brain that in humans also comprises the neocortex, which plays a key role in cognition in animals. The neocortex is one of the most intriguing brain components because, throughout evolution, it has grown larger compared to other brain regions, making it an intriguing region for neuroscientists.
To study the telencephalon of the axolotls, the researchers used a sequencing technique called scRNA-seq, which allowed them to identify the different types of cells present in the telencephalon. They discovered that axolotls can regenerate parts of their brains thanks to the presence of progenitor cells, which are a type of cell that can divide into more of themselves or become other types of cells.
Not only regenerate tissue, but also functions
Axolotls can use their progenitor cells to generate different types of mature neurons. They do this in three phases that the researchers were able to differentiate perfectly. During the first phase, there is a rapid increase in progenitor cells, then a small section of these cells activates the wound healing process.
During the second phase, the progenitor cells begin to differentiate into neuroblasts, and finally, in phase three, the neuroblasts eventually become the same cell types that were originally lost.
Most surprisingly, not only did they recover the lost neurons and tissues, but also the severed brain connections between the excised area and other areas of the brain were reconnected. This indicates that the regenerated regions are able to fully recover their original function.
The identification of the different cell types in the brain of axolotls paves the way for research in regenerative medicine. While regenerative capacity in humans is known to be much less adept than with axolotls, this type of research sheds light on how this cellular behavior could be promoted.
Story originally published in Spanish in Ecoosfera
