Tail regeneration project

[Keg34]

I have owned a few geckos for a few years and was always fascinated by there ability to regenerate their tales after losing them on accident or purposefully. In the summer, my smallest gecko lost her tail, not 100% sure how, but I believe it was during a shed and either she or a tank mate made a snack of it :/ but she regrew a healthy tail in virtually no time.

I was amazed by this and since I took grade 11 biology and am completing grade 12 biology, I have realized how significant and complex this characteristic really is. After doing a project focused on the genetic possibilites of Leopard geckos in grade 11, my teacher approached me and asked if I would be "one-upping" last years project with some specific genetic research, but I decided to take a different spin. I have started research on nerve and limb regeneration, but realized that the regeneration of a leopard geckos tail really isnt the same. I have learned that when a leopard gecko regenerates a tail, they do not regrow the vertabrae but simply a cartilage substitute. So I think it would be a good prediction to hypothesise that a leopard gecko with a regenerated tail does not posses as much control of their tail, as compared to their original tail? I would like to find some information on this, if anybody could point me to any websites that provide previous findings or research done on the actual process of a leopard geckos tail regeneration, it would be very helpful and greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Keegan

 

[leezard]

I don't know of any sites, but I find this very interesting also and will be following your updates (I hope you provide us).

 

[marauderhex]

This should help you out: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3180301/

Dev bio journals will probably be the most helpful things to look at on this topic. I applaud your interest in herp biology. It's not an easy field to find info on, but the research papers that come out can really be fascinating.

 

[MiamiLeos]

That's a really interesting project. I'll tell you now though that they don't have the same control over a regen tail that they would over an original tail. Something else that would be cool for you to study is what determines the pattern of a regen tail. They all come out different

 

[Keg34]

thank you justin, that is a very helpful paper!

*bump* :$