Pattern regulation during regeneration of embryonically produced symmetrical forelimbs in the axolotl,Ambystoma mexicanum

✍ Scribed by Tank, Patrick W.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 768 KB
• Volume: 223
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402230108

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Embryonic axolotls (Stages 32–34) underwent surgery during which a graft of flank tissue was transferred from a donor animal to the anterior margin of the forelimb field in a host animal. Double‐posterior forelimbs containing from one to eight digits developed. These limbs were amputated at a level proximal to the elbow to assess their regenerative ability. The majority (62%) of these limbs failed to regenerate externally visible structures. Symmetrical limbs bearing five digits or more than five digits regenerated with greatest frequency (54%). Symmetrical forelimbs bearing four digits or fewer than four digits regenerated less frequently (31%). All regenerates displayed double‐posterior symmetry and usually contained fewer digits than were present in the original limb. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of a current model for pattern regulation in epimorphic fields.