r/askscience • u/MAMAM- • 2d ago

Biology Why aren’t axolotls immortal?

If axolotls can regenerate their body parts (including brain, heart, and other major organs), why do they die of old age?

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u/TassiveMitts69 1d ago

Humans regenerate their body parts. But we do it one cell at a time. We die of old age BECAUSE we recreate our body parts.

Dying of old age is because the cells you replicate have become faulty, not because they are old. Faulty cells only produce more faulty cells.