Immune System of Salamanders Key to Understanding Regeneration

According to a latest study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have found that salamanders can regrow limbs and also regenerate spinal cords, brain tissue and even parts of their heart, and this ability relies on their immune system.

A team of researchers from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) at Monash University discovered that on removing the immune cells known as macrophages, salamanders failed to regenerate a limb and formed a scar tissue instead.

The research was led by Dr. James Godwin, a Fellow in the laboratory of ARMI Director Professor Nadia Rosenthal. According to Godwin, the finding helps in understanding the condition that is required for regeneration.

"Previously, we thought that macrophages were negative for regeneration, and this research shows that that's not the case - if the macrophages are not present in the early phases of healing, regeneration does not occur," he said in a press statement. "Now, we need to find out exactly how these macrophages are contributing to regeneration. Down the road, this could lead to therapies that tweak the human immune system down a more regenerative pathway."

Salamanders adopt a very significant method to recover from injury. There is a complete restoration of tissue in body, including the organs. The most fascinating thing about the regenerated tissue is that it is completely repaired, without any scar on the site of injury.  

The researchers believe that by carefully studying the healing process of salamanders, they can develop new treatments for common conditions such as heart and liver diseases that are associated with fibrosis or scarring. Promoting scar-free healing will greatly improve the patient's recovery period after surgery.