"But according to recent research, these frilly-headed salamanders, which are native to lakes and wetlands around Mexico City, can perform an even more extraordinary biological feat: they can completely regrow their thymus, a complex organ instrumental to the immune system in most vertebrates. Previous work suggested that some animals can partially regrow thymuses, but the co-authors of the new paper, published in Science Immunology, were surprised to see axolotls completely rebuild the intricately structured organ from nothing."
"The thymus is responsible for producing the body's T cells, which help to target and destroy invading pathogens. In humans and most other vertebrates, the thymus is famous for being one of the first organs to degenerate, says Turan Demircan, a biologist and regeneration expert at Mugla Stk Kocman University in Turkey who was not involved in the new research. Until now, it was believed that once this tissue is gone or removed, it cannot be fully rebuilt."
Axolotls, native to lakes and wetlands around Mexico City, can fully regrow the thymus, a complex organ that produces T cells. The thymus supports immune targeting and is among the first organs to degenerate in humans and many vertebrates, typically thought irrecoverable once lost. Juvenile axolotls that had their thymuses removed began budding new thymic tissue within seven days; by 35 days more than 60 percent had fully regenerated the organ. The regenerated tissue rebuilt the intricately structured thymus, demonstrating axolotls' exceptional capacity to restore complex immune organs as well as limbs and neural tissues.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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