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Housing and Maintenance of Ambystoma mexicanum, the Mexican Axolotl

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Salamanders in Regeneration Research

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1290))

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assemble a significant amount of information on Ambystoma mexicanum, the axolotl salamander, to assist in the basic knowledge needed to raise, breed, and study most aspects of axolotl biology. It is important to understand the basic biology of the axolotl in order to make informed decisions on their proper care and use in experiments. Therefore, we will provide necessary information to the non-herpetologist that will assist in their study of this unique and fascinating animal. We also aim to provide a resource on the general anatomy, behavior, and experimental tips specific to the Mexican axolotl that will be of use to most axolotl laboratories. Axolotls have been actively researched since the 1860s, giving testament to their relatively straightforward maintenance and their versatility as an animal model for development and regeneration. Interest in using the axolotl in laboratory research has grown tremendously over the past decade, so dedicated resources to support the study of this species are needed and encouraged.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center for the continued support and advice on axolotl maintenance (R24 OD010435). We would also like to thank Panagiotis Katsaros and William Fowle for the electron microscopy images, Matthew Nguyen and Pankhuri Singhal for the histological staining, and Alex Sweeney and Jason Langshaw for the careful reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA

    Johanna E. Farkas & James R. Monaghan Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Johanna E. Farkas
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  2. James R. Monaghan Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to James R. Monaghan Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom

    Anoop Kumar

  2. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    András Simon

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Farkas, J.E., Monaghan, J.R. (2015). Housing and Maintenance of Ambystoma mexicanum, the Mexican Axolotl. In: Kumar, A., Simon, A. (eds) Salamanders in Regeneration Research. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1290. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2495-0_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2495-0_3

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2494-3

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