Ambystoma mexicanum, the Axolotl: A Versatile Amphibian Model for Regeneration, Development, and Evolution Studies

INTRODUCTION Adult salamanders are best known for their capacity to regenerate an astounding range of body structures including the whole limb and tail, the central nervous system, and tissues of the eye and heart. The axolotl ( Ambystoma mexicanum ) represents the salamander species that is most easily bred in the laboratory, and for which the most comprehensive genetic, genomic, and transgenesis tools have been developed. As such, it serves as an important vertebrate model for studying regeneration and tissue repair. Beyond regeneration, axolotls have a deep and rich history as primary amphibian models, especially in research areas concerning embryonic development--most notably the inductive mode of germ cell formation. The easily obtained oocytes, high quantities of embryos produced by each spawning, large size of the embryo, and ability to graft tissues from individual to individual at any stage without rejection make the axolotl an advantageous model system for the study of development, electrophysiology, and regeneration.