Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. Moshe Khurgel

Degree Award Date

Fall 2011

Keywords

Reinnervation, limb regeneration, axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum

Disciplines

Animal Sciences | Biology

Abstract

Nine experimental axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) of the same age ranging from 191 - 202 mm in total length and 52.3 - 59.5 g in weight were used (Table 1 ). Three additional axolotls were used as immunohistochemical and histological controls: Two received no injections and remained unamputated to serve as negative immunohistochemical and histological controls; the other axolotl received multiple injections and underwent amputation to serve as a positive immunohistochemical and histological control. One additional axolotl was used at a later date to test an alternate surgical procedure for neuronal tracing. All axolotls were housed in 1X Holtfreter's solution maintained at room temperature on a 12:12 hours light/dark cycle. Additionally, all axolotls had undergone amputations of anterior and posterior limbs on the right side approximately one year prior to the beginning of this study. All four limbs on each of the nine experimental animals were measured before amputations to provide a long-term method for tracking their regeneration. Axolotls were anesthetized in 3:7 10X benzocaine (Sigma):1X Holtfreter's solution for all surg,ical procedures.

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