TRANSDIFFERENTIATION AS A BASIS FOR AMPHIBIAN LIMB REGENERATION

Limb regeneration, is a phenomenon occurring only in some urodeles. Th e process seems to be initiated by the dedifferentiation of the termin ally differentiated cells. These cells differentiate subsequently, to the tissues that comprise the limb, thus reconstructing the pattern. o f the missing limb part. lit this paper we review and present evidence that certain cell types of the limb have the capacity to differentiat e to different cell types than their original one by cellular metaplas ia. This switch is called transdifferentiation. The focus of this revi ew is the process of dedifferentiation which is the necessary prerequi site for differentiation, and the possible mechanisms involved.