Did you know that some animals can regrow its lost body parts? Wild animals have to avoid many dangers to stay alive. Many animals lose body parts trying to defend themselves in a fight. But some animals have an unusual way to heal their wounds. They can grow back their lost body parts!
Salamanders are some of the best healers. They can actually regrow arms, tails, toes, ears, and parts of their eyes when they lose them. This process is called regeneration.
How does regeneration work? It starts with an animal’s cells. Cells are the basic building blocks of a living thing. A salamander that loses a leg can turn cells around the wound into the cells it needs to grow a new leg. These cells then come together in a mound called a blastema. The cells begin to multiply very quickly. As they do, they form the material that the animal needs to rebuild its missing limb. It takes about 40-50 days for some salamanders to regenerate their limbs.
Activities:
1. It might be very painful for a salamander to live when it loses its body parts. According to this passage, how many minutes does it take for some salamanders to regenerate their limbs?
2. Can humans regrow their damaged or missing arms and
legs? What lessons can you learn from salamander regeneration? Explain your answer. Watch the video story to learn about an incredible
creature that can regenerate its brain, heart, and limbs.
