La rigenerazione del midollo spinale della coda in larve di Xenopus laevis (Daudin). II) Analisi del processo rigenerativo

Filoni, Sergio ; Bosco, Luigi

Atti della Accademia nazionale dei Lincei. Rendiconti della Classe di scienze fisiche, matematiche e naturali, Série 8, Tome 58 (1975) no. 1, pp. 57-63

Résumé

70% of the tail was removed in larvae of Xenopus laevis at stage 48 (according to Nieuwkoop and Faber) in order to: a) analyze the course of the regeneration process of the spinal cord in the tail; b) accertain the morphogenetic potential of the ependymal cells which replace the spinal cord experimentally removed; c) compare the regeneration capacity of this Anuran with that of the Urodela which is already known. Morphogenetics phenomena noted in the days immediately following the operation are the same as those noted for the Urodela: formation of "ampulla terminalis" by ependymal cells remaining of the spinal cord; active growth of the ampulla and of the stump, gradual differentiation of the more external cells of periventricular grey; new formation of nerve fibers. At the end of the regeneration process (30 days) the spinal cord of the tail of the larvae of Xenopus laevis reaches a complex organization, demonstrating the high potential of the ependymal cells which are capable of differentiating in various neuronal types. The regeneration capacity of the spinal cord of the tail of this Anuran, although inferior to the regeneration capacity of the Urodela, is notably advanced.