Lizards are known for losing and regrowing their tails due to injury. Now, we are learning that ability to turn normal cells into new tissue types could potentially help those with arthritis.

Lizards possess a remarkable self-defense mechanism called autotomy, where they detach their tails to evade predators. The detached tail continues to ...

How many times can a lizard do this? Most species can shed and regrow a tail more than once, but each cycle lowers quality. Later tails may be shorter, duller in color, and stiffer.

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have published the first detailed description of the interplay between two cell types that allow lizards to regenerate their tails.