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Kyakuno M, Nakamori R, Tazawa I, Uemasu H, Namba N, Tsunekawa N, Noce T, Satoh Y, Takeuchi T, Hayashi T. Photoperiod-independent testicular development in the model newt Pleurodeles waltl. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 63:277-284. [PMID: 34133763 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Urodele amphibian newts have unique biological properties in male gametogenesis, in addition to their extreme regenerative capacity. Male newts are able to regenerate new testes even after reaching sexual maturity and can possess multiple testes. Notably, these animals maintain primordial germ cell-like cells in a tissue adjacent to the testis. Spermatogenesis proceeds while synchronizing in a region-specific manner in the testis. However, the newt species that have been used most commonly require 2-3 years to achieve sexual maturity, and spermatogenesis in these species shows seasonality. These traits have restricted the use of newts for studies on testicular development and spermatogenesis, and testis development in newts remains poorly characterized. Recently, the Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl has been established as an emerging model organism. P. waltl reaches sexual maturity more quick after birth than do other newts and is capable of breeding year-round. Thus, P. waltl is expected to serve as an appealing experimental model for studying the mechanisms of male gametogenesis in the urodeles. In the present study, we use P. waltl to describe the entire developmental process of the newt testis from primordial gonad to maturity. Notably, the mature testes show synchronized progression of spermatogenesis along the anteroposterior axis. Additionally, we demonstrate that the process of spermatogenesis in P. waltl proceeds irrespective of day length. Our results show that P. waltl newts are a suitable model for investigating the process of testicular development. We also expect that these results will be useful for the maintenance of P. waltl bioresources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuki Kyakuno
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Rei Nakamori
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Ichiro Tazawa
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Uemasu
- Division of Pediatrics and Perinatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Namba
- Division of Pediatrics and Perinatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Naoki Tsunekawa
- Collage of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Noce
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako City, Japan
| | - Yukio Satoh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Takashi Takeuchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Toshinori Hayashi
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
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Matsunami M, Suzuki M, Haramoto Y, Fukui A, Inoue T, Yamaguchi K, Uchiyama I, Mori K, Tashiro K, Ito Y, Takeuchi T, Suzuki KIT, Agata K, Shigenobu S, Hayashi T. A comprehensive reference transcriptome resource for the Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl, an emerging model for developmental and regeneration biology. DNA Res 2019; 26:217-229. [PMID: 31006799 PMCID: PMC6589553 DOI: 10.1093/dnares/dsz003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Urodele newts have unique biological properties, notably including prominent regeneration ability. The Iberian ribbed newt, Pleurodeles waltl, is a promising model amphibian distinguished by ease of breeding and efficient transgenic and genome editing methods. However, limited genetic information is available for P. waltl. We conducted an intensive transcriptome analysis of P. waltl using RNA-sequencing to build and annotate gene models. We generated 1.2 billion Illumina reads from a wide variety of samples across 12 different tissues/organs, unfertilized egg, and embryos at eight different developmental stages. These reads were assembled into 1,395,387 contigs, from which 202,788 non-redundant ORF models were constructed. The set is expected to cover a large fraction of P. waltl protein-coding genes, as confirmed by BUSCO analysis, where 98% of universal single-copy orthologs were identified. Ortholog analyses revealed the gene repertoire evolution of urodele amphibians. Using the gene set as a reference, gene network analysis identified regeneration-, developmental-stage-, and tissue-specific co-expressed gene modules. Our transcriptome resource is expected to enhance future research employing this emerging model animal for regeneration research as well as for investigations in other areas including developmental biology, stem cell biology, and cancer research. These data are available via our portal website, iNewt (http://www.nibb.ac.jp/imori/main/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Matsunami
- Department of Advanced Genomics and Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara-Cho, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Miyuki Suzuki
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Haramoto
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akimasa Fukui
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Inoue
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsushi Yamaguchi
- Functional Genomics Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ikuo Uchiyama
- NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazuki Mori
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Lab. (CBBD-OIL), Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kosuke Tashiro
- Laboratory of Molecular Gene Technology, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Ito
- Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takashi Takeuchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi T Suzuki
- Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
- Center for the Development of New Model Organisms, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kiyokazu Agata
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University, Toshima-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Toshinori Hayashi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, Japan
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Abstract
Comparative studies of lens and retina regeneration have been conducted within a wide variety of animals over the last 100 years. Although amphibians, fish, birds and mammals have all been noted to possess lens- or retina-regenerative properties at specific developmental stages, lens or retina regeneration in adult animals is limited to lower vertebrates. The present review covers the newest perspectives on lens and retina regeneration from these different model organisms with a focus on future trends in regeneration research.
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Yoshikawa T, Mizuno A, Yasumuro H, Inami W, Vergara MN, Del Rio-Tsonis K, Chiba C. MEK-ERK and heparin-susceptible signaling pathways are involved in cell-cycle entry of the wound edge retinal pigment epithelium cells in the adult newt. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2011; 25:66-82. [PMID: 22026648 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-148x.2011.00935.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The onset mechanism of proliferation in mitotically quiescent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells is still obscure in humans and newts, although it can be a clinical target for manipulating both retinal diseases and regeneration. To address this issue, we investigated factors or signaling pathways involved in the first cell-cycle entry of RPE cells upon retinal injury using a newt retina-less eye-cup culture system in which the cells around the wound edge of the RPE exclusively enter the cell cycle. We found that MEK-ERK signaling is necessary for their cell-cycle entry, and signaling pathways whose activities can be modulated by heparin, such as Wnt-, Shh-, and thrombin-mediated pathways, are capable of regulating the cell-cycle entry. Furthermore, we found that the cells inside the RPE have low proliferation competence even in the presence of serum, suggesting inversely that a loss of cell-to-cell contact would allow the cells to enter the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Yoshikawa
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Susaki K, Chiba C. MEK mediates in vitro neural transdifferentiation of the adult newt retinal pigment epithelium cells: Is FGF2 an induction factor? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 20:364-79. [PMID: 17850510 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0749.2007.00407.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Adult newts can regenerate their entire retinas through transdifferentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. As yet, however, underlying molecular mechanisms remain virtually unknown. On the other hand, in embryonic/larval vertebrates, an MEK [mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase] pathway activated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is suggested to be involved in the induction of transdifferentiation of the RPE into a neural retina. Therefore, we examined using culture systems whether the FGF2/MEK pathway is also involved in the adult newt RPE transdifferentiation. Here we show that the adult newt RPE cells can switch to neural cells expressing pan-retinal-neuron (PRN) markers such as acetylated tubulin, and that an MEK pathway is essential for the induction of this process, whereas FGF2 seems an unlikely primary induction factor. In addition, we show by immunohistochemistry that the PRN markers are not expressed until the 1-3 cells thick regenerating retina, which contains retinal progenitor cells, appears. Our current results suggest that the activation of an MEK pathway in RPE cells might be involved in the induction process of retinal regeneration in the adult newt, however if this is the case, we must assume complementary mechanisms that repress the MEK-mediated misexpression of PRN markers in the initial process of transdifferentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Susaki
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennoudai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
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Tyler MJ, Cameron DA. Cellular pattern formation during retinal regeneration: a role for homotypic control of cell fate acquisition. Vision Res 2006; 47:501-11. [PMID: 17034830 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2006.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2006] [Revised: 08/23/2006] [Accepted: 08/24/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A dominant mechanism of cellular patterning in the growing fish retina is control of cell fate acquisition by negative feedback signals arising from differentiated cells. We tested the ability of a computational model of this pattern formation mechanism to simulate cellular patterns in regenerated goldfish retina. The model successfully simulated quantitative features of in vivo regenerated patterns, indicating that regenerating retina has access to and utilizes patterning mechanisms that are operational during normal growth. The atypical patterns of regenerated retina could arise in part from regenerative progenitors that, compared to normal growth progenitors, are less responsive to the feedback patterning signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda J Tyler
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St., Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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Chiba C, Hoshino A, Nakamura K, Susaki K, Yamano Y, Kaneko Y, Kuwata O, Maruo F, Saito T. Visual cycle protein RPE65 persists in new retinal cells during retinal regeneration of adult newt. J Comp Neurol 2006; 495:391-407. [PMID: 16485283 DOI: 10.1002/cne.20880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Adult newts can regenerate their entire retina through transdifferentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The objective of this study was to redescribe the retina regeneration process by means of modern biological techniques. We report two different antibodies (RPE-No.112 and MAB5428) that recognize the newt homolog of RPE65, which is involved in the visual cycle and exclusively label the RPE cell-layer in the adult newt eye. We analyzed the process of retinal regeneration by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting and propose that this process should be divided into nine stages. We found that the RPE65 protein is present in the RPE-derived new retinal rudiment at 14 days postoperative (po) and in the regenerating retinas at the 3-4 cell stage (19 days po). These observations suggest that certain characteristics of RPE cells overlap with those of retinal stem/progenitor cells during the period of transdifferentiation. However, RPE65 protein was not detected in either retinal stem/progenitor cells in the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ) of adult eyes or in neuroepithelium present during retina development, where it was first detected in differentiated RPE. Moreover, the gene expression of RPE65 was drastically downregulated in the early phase of transdifferentiation (by 10 days po), while those of Connexin43 and Pax-6, both expressed in regenerating retinas, were differently upregulated. These observations suggest that the RPE65 protein in the RPE-derived retinal rudiment may represent the remainder after protein degradation or discharge rather than newly synthesized protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikafumi Chiba
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
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