© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 1
J. Wilson-Rawls, K. Kusumi (eds.), Innovations in Molecular Mechanisms
and Tissue Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-44996-8_
Chapter 1
Research into the Cellular and Molecular
Mechanisms of Regeneration in Salamanders:
Then and Now
Ryan J. Debuque and James W. Godwin
1.1 Introduction
Regenerative medicine encompasses collaboration between scientists with diverse
backgrounds in wound healing , immunology, developmental biology, stem cell sci-
ence, tissue engineering and more recently, organic chemistry and nanotechnology.
Research in this area aims to improve patient outcomes in the contexts of chronic
diseases, ageing and acute injuries. Therapeutic efforts have focused on delivering
single molecules, embryonic or adult stem cell derived tissues supported by artifi -
cial scaffolds to either directly replenish lost tissue or provide paracrine factors to
enhance local wound healing [ 1 ]. Promising studies in mammalian in vitro and
in vivo models following this strategy have spawned development of numerous
clinical trials to varying levels of success but have yet to emulate major aspects of
true regeneration exemplifi ed in nature.
Experimental biologists have been studying natural adult regeneration in manyphyla for centuries and include vertebrates such as amphibians and teleosts
reviewed in [ 2 – 6 ]. Urodele amphibians (commonly referred to as salamanders) are
some of the oldest animals to be housed in laboratories and have contributed to
many fundamental concepts and discoveries in experimental biology [ 7 ].
Regeneration is a property shared in all ten families but is best understood in a few
species representing selected genera [ 8 ]. Evolutionary reasons for the robust
R. J. Debuque
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
J. W. Godwin (*)
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
The Jackson Laboratory , Bar Harbor , ME , USA
The MDI Biological Laboratory , Bar Harbor , ME , USA
e-mail: [email protected]