A novel amniote model of epimorphic regeneration: the leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius

BMC Developmental Biology, 2011 · DOI: 10.1186/1471-213X-11-50 · Published: August 16, 2011

Simple Explanation

Epimorphic regeneration involves the restoration of lost tissues through a blastema. This study examines tail regeneration in leopard geckos to understand the tissue-level events. The study found a consistent pattern of regeneration after tail loss, involving wound healing and blastema formation. The major events of epimorphic regeneration are conserved across vertebrates, making the gecko a valuable biomedical tool.

Study Duration

25+ days

Participants

89 Eublepharis macularius

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Tail regeneration in leopard geckos involves a conserved sequence of events, allowing for the creation of a staging table.
2
Tail loss is followed by a latent period of scar-free wound healing.
3
Regeneration is blastema-mediated.

Research Summary

This study introduces the leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, as a laboratory model for studying regeneration, highlighting its tail autotomy and regeneration capabilities. The research establishes a staging system for tail regeneration in E. macularius, documenting morphological and histological changes through seven distinct stages. The study concludes that lizard tail regeneration follows a conserved sequence of events, including wound healing, blastema formation, and differentiation, comparable with other vertebrate regeneration models.

Practical Implications

Biomedical Tool

The leopard gecko can serve as a biomedical tool for regenerative research due to the conservation of epimorphic regeneration events across vertebrates.

Understanding Scar-Free Repair

Further exploration of wound healing in lizards can provide insights into scar-free repair mechanisms relevant to mammalian wound healing.

Conserved Regeneration Events

The identification of conserved events during epimorphic tail regeneration in lizards, urodeles, and teleosts supports a comparative approach for regenerative medicine.

Study Limitations

1
The source of the blastema cells and their interaction with the wound epithelium remains unclear.
2
The morphogenetic role of the apical epithelial cap (AEC) in lizards is not fully understood.
3
The identity of a trophic factor necessary to induce tail regeneration in lizards remains unknown.

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