Some aspects of tail regeneration in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis. I. A description based on histology and autoradiography.,

The histology of the tail and its autotomy planes in Anolis carolinensis follows the same basic plan as that described for other lizards. Variations in detail which are of importance to the present paper are described. The normal regeneration process was studied using histologic and autoradiographic techniques. These studies suggest: (1) that the muscle makes little if any contribution to the regenerate, (2) that the source of cells for the regenerate is primarily from the various connective tissue elements and (3) that the tail has no apical accumulation blastema. It is proposed that the term blastema as applied in amphibian limb regeneration cannot be applied in lizard tail regeneration. The growth of a normal regenerate results from extensive interstitial growth in the differentiating tissues and from subapical growth in the less differentiated areas of these tissues.