Unlocking the Secrets of Herpetological Regeneration: From Molecular Pathways to Ecological Implications

Amphibians and reptiles represent the pinnacle of regenerative capacity among vertebrates, offering a unique window into the biological mechanisms of tissue replacement and organ repair. While urodeles like the axolotl are renowned for their ability to perfectly regenerate complex structures such as limbs, spinal cords, and even portions of the heart, many reptiles, specifically squamates, display restricted yet significant regenerative feats, most notably tail autotomy and subsequent regrowth. These processes involve intricate coordination between immune response, cell dedifferentiation, and morphogenetic signaling. Despite decades of study, the evolutionary divergence between "perfect" amphibian regeneration and the "imperfect" fibro-cartilaginous regeneration seen in reptiles remains a critical area of inquiry.

Understanding why these lineages retained or modified these ancestral traits is fundamental to our knowledge of vertebrate biology and holds transformative potential for the broader field of regenerative medicine.

This Research Topic aims to address the persistent knowledge gaps regarding the molecular, cellular, and evolutionary drivers of regeneration across diverse herpetological taxa. While much research has focused on model organisms like Ambystoma mexicanum, there is a pressing need to expand our scope to non-model species and comparative frameworks. We seek to understand the specific genomic and epigenetic regulators that distinguish regenerative competence from scarring or permanent tissue loss.

A primary objective is to investigate how environmental stressors, age, and physiological constraints influence regenerative outcomes in the wild versus laboratory settings. By synthesizing multi-omic data with traditional morphological observations, we aim to build a comprehensive map of the regenerative toolkit shared by amphibians and reptiles. Ultimately, this collection intends to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that connects fundamental herpetological research with broader biological questions, potentially identifying conserved pathways that could be leveraged to enhance tissue repair across vertebrate lineages.

We are particularly interested in submissions that address the following themes:

• Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of blastema formation across different orders.

• The role of the innate and adaptive immune systems in facilitating or inhibiting regrowth.

• The energetics and life-history trade-offs of regeneration in natural populations.

• Biomechanical and functional assessments of regenerated versus original tissues.

• Signaling pathway conservation (e.g., Wnt, FGF, BMP) and the evolution of regenerative "loss."

Studies utilizing novel imaging techniques or CRISPR/Cas9 interventions to elucidate specific gene functions are highly encouraged.

Authors should ensure their work emphasizes the herpetological context of their findings, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of how these animals navigate the challenges of survival and self-repair.

If you are interested in submitting or have any questions please contact the journal email: amphibianandreptilescience@frontiersin.org

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Herpetological regeneration, Blastema formation, Tail autotomy, Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), Squamate regrowth, Comparative transcriptomics, Wnt/FGF/BMP signaling, Cell dedifferentiation, Epigenetic regulation, Regenerative medicine

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.