Regeneration

Regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and regrowth of tissues, organisms or whole ecosystems. Every species can regenerate. The degree of regeneration, however, varies significantly.

Salamanders are able to regenerate whole limbs. If a Salamander limb is amputated, a blastema forms over the wound. The cells inside the blastema dedifferentiate into multipotent stem cells that remain their positional information. Over the course of weeks, the cells multiply and regenerate a fully functional limb.

Regeneration should not be confused with wound healing. During wound healing, the wound is closed off by forming a scar.