Tail regeneration in the plethodontid salamander, Plethodon cinereus: Induced autotomy versus surgical amputation

Muscle fibers do not normally contribute to tail regeneration in the plethodontid salamander.

• Regeneration occurs after surgical amputation or induced autotomy in the tail of Plethodon cinereus.
• Autotomy may happen along natural cleavage planes formed by caudal myosepta.
• During regeneration, distally attached myofibers break away from the myoseptum, which remains intact.
• If myofibers are interrupted by mid-segment amputation, they undergo degeneration and are replaced by connective tissue.
• Other tissues at the amputation site are involved in tail regeneration, including the formation of new muscle cells, but at a slower rate than after autotomy.
• Overall, muscle cells do not participate in the tail's epimorphic regeneration after either type of injury.

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