Newts: Regenerate or Not

[ahillar at your-servername.Lan1.UManitoba.CA]

In article <D2HFx0.C2F at boss.cs.ohiou.edu> dmccall at oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (David Thomas Mccall) writes:
>From: dmccall at oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (David Thomas Mccall)
>Subject: Newts: Regenerate or Not
>Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 05:14:59 GMT

>I have a pet newt and his name is Jeff.  I just got him today and once I
>got him home I realized that his poor little newty leg is broken.  His
>bone is broken.  The bone is exposed and the only reason that it is still
>around is that it is hanging on by his little newt skin.  He is presently
>resting, but I imagine he is in great pain.

>My question is this:

>Do newts regenerate parts like some other animals?



>Please let me know.

>Thanks,

>Dave

Newt's do indeed regenerate limbs, similar to the regeneration of tails in 
some lizards. I know this because newts were study organisms of a 
developmental genetics researcher I once knew while I was doing my Master's. 
In fact, the entire forelimb of the newt was usually amputated, and grew back 
with no problem (though sometimes it articulated in weird ways, depending on 
the experiments). This suggests there is hope for your newt too. Though it 
would be premature to say the same of the Newt of the other variety.

Alex