[doi: 10.5505/2017ichc.PP-169]A histological map of neotenic and metamorphosed axolotl’s tissues and organsBerna Yildirim1, Ayse Elif Ilhan1, Ilknur Keskin2, Turan Demircan32Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey 3Department of Medical Biology, International School of Medicine,˙Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a salamender species which has a unique regenerative capacity. It is normally a neotenic organism but has the ability to be induced to metamorphosis by the administration of thyroid hormones (THs). This opens the possibility of working with both neotenic and metamorphic stages of the same animal. Anatomical and morphological changes during metamorphosis are very crucial to expand our currenting understanding on adaptation to terrestrial life. Till now there was not any comphrensive histological studies regarding neotenic and metamorphic axolotl. Here, in this study, we aimed to exhibit the differences between neotenic and metamorphic axolotl tissues. Axolotls were maintained as one axolotl in each container and half of the axolots were induced to metamorphose using the T4 containing solution. Tissues and organs of metamorphic and neotenic axolotls were obtained by dissection. We carried out Hematoxylin & Eosin, Luxol-Fast Blue, Masson’s Trichrome, Alcian Blue, Orcein and Weigart’s staining to demonstrate the structural differences of all tissues and their cellular organization. We examined the specimens of brain, gallbladder,heart, intestine, liver, lung, muscle, skin, spleen, stomach, tail, tongue and vessel under the light microscopy. According to our data, mainly in tail, skin, gall bladder and spleen, but also in other tissues and organs structural changes were observed. |