Xenbase Image ID: 146175

Figure 2. The Xenopus tailbud does not regenerate. (a) Stage 28 tadpole key showing regions extirpated and corresponding bar graph of the number of somites formed by Stage 40. Colour of dotted line indicates extirpated region in bar graph. Uncut tadpoles generate 42 somites. Removal of the tail forming region (TFR, which includes trunk derived post anal tail tissues), leaves only 13 somites. Removal of the anatomical tailbud (TB) leaves 19 somites, and removal of smaller parts of the tailbud results in a corresponding decrease in the number of somites absent at stage 40. (b) Drawings indicating the effect of removing either the tail forming region or the tailbud at Stage 28 and culturing the two pieces separately. The extirpated TFR and TB develop autonomously, but the number of somites combined between explant and remaining tadpole is always 42. The ‘tail’ seen following removal of the tailbud is formed from displaced trunk tissues, and not by regeneration. Data from Tucker and Slack. Image published in: Beck CW (2015) Copyright © 2015. Image reproduced with permission of the Publisher, John Wiley & Sons. Larger Image Printer Friendly View

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