Induced Regeneration of Hindlimbs in the Newborn Opossum

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Abstract
The North American marsupial, Didelphys virginiana, has proved to be uniquely suited for studies of replacement of mammalian limb. The newborn opossum provides the rare opportunity to perform chronic experiments on extremely young mammalian limbs. Since this marsupial is born without lymphocytes, xenoplastic as well as homoplastic transplants are tolerated; supplementary nerve tissue was transplanled to newborn hindlimbs and the limbs were amputated immediately above the ankle. When the implant remained in place, a regenerative response ensued. Results of control experiments indicate that neither the trauma of simple amputation, the trauma of implantation, nor the implantation of other tissues can evoke the response which results after implanting nerve tissue. These studies demonstrate that young opossum limbs are capable of regenerating when additional nervous tissue is supplied.

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