Introduction

 Mammals are incapable of regenerating many types of tissues that are lost due to injury or disease.  However, Xenopus tadpoles are able to regenerate an entire limb or tail after amputation.  In order for this to occur, the following must happen :

        1.  De-differentiation of cells at the amputation site

        2.  Mobilization of cells to this site

        3.  Cell growth and proliferation

        4.  Re-differentiation to form various tissue types

Very little is known about the mechanisms of regeneration, but this study proposes that re-activation of dormant developmental genes---which is very well studied---plays a key role to regrowing muscle, nervous, and spinal tissues.  Of interest here are the BMP and Notch pathways of limb development.

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