Current Understanding on tail regeneration in Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis)

Anoles typically will drop their tail in response to a stressor, and will drop the tail as a distraction for a potential predator. By dropping their tail, anoles are able to avoid their predators, and have adequate time to escape to a safer spot. The anole drops its tail at a muscular junction, where the cells can easily detach in a life-threatening event. Over time this tail will regenerate, but it can cause major functioning issues in anoles. It takes a lot of energy for the anoles to regenerate their tail, making this a difficult task when trying to evade prey in the wild. This research presents the importance of a gene found responsible to regenerate anole tails. Although these genes are conserved in vertebrates, they are not active in humans. These deactivated genes are being targeted to investigate whether human organs or limbs can possibly be regenerated if this gene is reactivated. This could have potentially thousands of life-saving medical implications if an efficient way to regenerate organs is found.

Link to article: https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201608.0195/v1

Supplementary source: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lizard-tails-give-clues-cartilage-formation

Review: Regeneration of the tail in lizards appears regulated by a balanced expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressors

 

Link to article

Tail regeneration

During stressful times, many lizards, such as a green anole will drop their tails as a deterrent to predators to leave them be. When these tails are dropped, keratinocytes will migrate to the newly dropped lizard's tail in approximately 10 days after tail amputation takes place. The upper and lower levels of the blastema are responsible for producing these onco-proteins. Although the total contents of expressed proteins are unknown, it is known that wnt2b, egfr, c-myc, fgfs, fgfr, and rhov are present in the wound. Additionally, various  tumor suppressors are present in the healing stump of the lizard. The main outcome of this research found that there were equal parts proliferative and equal parts  regenerative function of the distal tail, Researchers were looking at the patterns of gene expression and how these reptiles can grow their spinal nerves and surrounding structures back. In hopes of finding ways to treat those with paraplegia and other nerve conditions, the ability to regenerate nervous tissue is extremely beneficial in the treatment of these life long, life altering conditions. Scientists now believe that the ability to regenerate cartilage will also help advance our understanding of cartilage generation in humans.