1
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Kwon Y, Singh S, Rodriguez D, Chau AL, Pitenis AA, De Tomaso AW, Valentine MT. Mechanical resilience of the sessile tunicate Botryllus schlosseri. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245124. [PMID: 37929758 PMCID: PMC10753489 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that the sessile tunicate Botryllus schlosseri is remarkably resilient to applied loads by attaching the animals to an extensile substrate subjected to quasistatic equiradial loads. Animals can withstand radial extension of the substrate to strain values as high as 20% before they spontaneously detach. In the small to moderate strain regime, we found no relationship between the dynamic size of the external vascular bed and the magnitude of applied stretch, despite known force sensitivities of the vascular tissue at the cellular level. We attribute this resilience to the presence and mechanical properties of the tunic, the cellulose-enriched gel-like substance that encases the animal bodies and surrounding vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younghoon Kwon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Shambhavi Singh
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Delany Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Allison L. Chau
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Angela A. Pitenis
- Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Anthony W. De Tomaso
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Megan T. Valentine
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
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2
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Manni L, Anselmi C. Giovanna Zaniolo: An inspiring scientist, teacher, mentor, and colleague. Active: 1967-2012. Genesis 2023; 61:e23566. [PMID: 37920942 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Manni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Anselmi
- Hopkins Marine Station, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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3
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Anselmi C, Caicci F, Bocci T, Guidetti M, Priori A, Giusti V, Levy T, Raveh T, Voskoboynik A, Weissman IL, Manni L. Multiple Forms of Neural Cell Death in the Cyclical Brain Degeneration of A Colonial Chordate. Cells 2023; 12:1041. [PMID: 37048113 PMCID: PMC10093557 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neuronal loss occurs through different cellular mechanisms, mainly studied in vitro. Here, we characterized neuronal death in B. schlosseri, a marine colonial tunicate that shares substantial genomic homology with mammals and has a life history in which controlled neurodegeneration happens simultaneously in the brains of adult zooids during a cyclical phase named takeover. Using an ultrastructural and transcriptomic approach, we described neuronal death forms in adult zooids before and during the takeover phase while comparing adult zooids in takeover with their buds where brains are refining their structure. At takeover, we found in neurons clear morphologic signs of apoptosis (i.e., chromatin condensation, lobed nuclei), necrosis (swollen cytoplasm) and autophagy (autophagosomes, autolysosomes and degradative multilamellar bodies). These results were confirmed by transcriptomic analyses that highlighted the specific genes involved in these cell death pathways. Moreover, the presence of tubulovesicular structures in the brain medulla alongside the over-expression of prion disease genes in late cycle suggested a cell-to-cell, prion-like propagation recalling the conformational disorders typical of some human neurodegenerative diseases. We suggest that improved understanding of how neuronal alterations are regulated in the repeated degeneration-regeneration program of B. schlosseri may yield mechanistic insights relevant to the study of human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Anselmi
- Hopkins Marine Station, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Federico Caicci
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Bocci
- “Aldo Ravelli” Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Guidetti
- “Aldo Ravelli” Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy
- Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Priori
- “Aldo Ravelli” Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20142 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Tom Levy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tal Raveh
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ayelet Voskoboynik
- Hopkins Marine Station, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Irving L. Weissman
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lucia Manni
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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4
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Ricci L, Salmon B, Olivier C, Andreoni-Pham R, Chaurasia A, Alié A, Tiozzo S. The Onset of Whole-Body Regeneration in Botryllus schlosseri: Morphological and Molecular Characterization. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:843775. [PMID: 35237607 PMCID: PMC8882763 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.843775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Colonial tunicates are the only chordates that regularly regenerate a fully functional whole body as part of their asexual life cycle, starting from specific epithelia and/or mesenchymal cells. In addition, in some species, whole-body regeneration (WBR) can also be triggered by extensive injuries, which deplete most of their tissues and organs and leave behind only small fragments of their body. In this manuscript, we characterized the onset of WBR in Botryllus schlosseri, one colonial tunicate long used as a laboratory model. We first analyzed the transcriptomic response to a WBR-triggering injury. Then, through morphological characterization, in vivo observations via time-lapse, vital dyes, and cell transplant assays, we started to reconstruct the dynamics of the cells triggering regeneration, highlighting an interplay between mesenchymal and epithelial cells. The dynamics described here suggest that WBR in B. schlosseri is initiated by extravascular tissue fragments derived from the injured individuals rather than particular populations of blood-borne cells, as has been described in closely related species. The morphological and molecular datasets here reported provide the background for future mechanistic studies of the WBR ontogenesis in B. schlosseri and allow to compare it with other regenerative processes occurring in other tunicate species and possibly independently evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Ricci
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging in Nice (IRCAN), CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Bastien Salmon
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Olivier
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Rita Andreoni-Pham
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging in Nice (IRCAN), CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France
| | - Ankita Chaurasia
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Alié
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Stefano Tiozzo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), CNRS, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Stefano Tiozzo,
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5
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Serrato LAM, Bilella A, Blanchoud S. Noninvasive Intravascular Microtransfusion in Colonial Tunicates. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:399-415. [PMID: 35359320 PMCID: PMC9761924 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tunicates are a diverse group of worldwide marine filter-feeders that are vertebrates' closest invertebrate relatives. Colonial tunicates are the only know chordates that have been shown to undergo whole-body regeneration (WBR). Botrylloides in particular can regenerate one fully functional adult from a minute fragment of their vascular system in as little as 10 days. This regenerative process relies on the proliferation of circulating stem cells, likely supported by the activity of some of the 11 identified types of hemocytes. To study and challenge WBR, it is thus important to have the capacity to isolate, analyze, and manipulate hemolymph in regenerating colonies. Here we present a microtransfusion technique that permits the collection of pure hemocytes, the quantification of their purity, their labeling, and reinjection into colonial tunicates. To exemplify our approach, we present in addition a protocol to analyze the isolated hemocytes using flow cytometry. Our approach is minimally invasive, does not induce lethality, and therefore allows repeated transfusion into exactly the same colony with minimal disruption to the process being studied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon Blanchoud
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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6
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Vanni V, Ballarin L, Gasparini F, Peronato A, Manni L. Studying Regeneration in Ascidians: An Historical Overview. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:27-48. [PMID: 35359301 PMCID: PMC9761513 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ascidians are sessile tunicates, that is, marine animals belonging to the phylum Chordata and considered the sister group of vertebrates. They are widespread in all the seas, constituting abundant communities in various ecosystems. Among chordates, only tunicates are able to reproduce asexually, forming colonies. The high regenerative potentialities enabling tunicates to regenerate damaged body parts, or the whole body, represent a peculiarity of this taxon. Here we review the methodological approaches used in more than a century of biological studies to induce regeneration in both solitary and colonial species. For solitary species, we refer to the regeneration of single organs or body parts (e.g., siphon, brain, gonad, tunic, viscera). For colonial species, we review a plethora of experiments regarding the surgical manipulation of colonies, the regeneration of isolated colonial entities, such as single buds in the tunic, or part of tunic and its circulatory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Vanni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | - Anna Peronato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Manni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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7
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Wawrzyniak MK, Matas Serrato LA, Blanchoud S. Artificial seawater based long-term culture of colonial ascidians. Dev Biol 2021; 480:91-104. [PMID: 34418426 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Tunicates are highly diverse marine invertebrate filter-feeders that are vertebrates' closest relatives. These organisms, despite a drastically different body plan during their adulthood, have a tissue complexity related to that of vertebrates. Ascidians, which compose most of the Tunicata, are benthic sessile hermaphrodites that reproduce sexually through a motile tadpole larval stage. Over half of the known ascidians species are able to reproduce asexually by budding, typically leading to the formation of colonies where animals, called zooids, are interconnected through an external vascular system. In addition, colonial ascidians are established models for important biological processes including allorecognition, immunobiology, aging, angiogenesis and whole-body regeneration. However, the current paucity in breeding infrastructures limits the study of these animals to coastal regions. To promote a wider scientific spreading and popularity of colonial ascidians, we have developed a flexible recirculating husbandry setup for their long-term in-lab culture. Our system is inspired both by the flow-through aquariums used by coastal ascidian labs, as well as by the recirculating in-lab systems used for zebrafish research. Our hybrid system thus combines colony breeding, water filtering and food culturing in a semi-automated system where specimens develop on hanging microscopy glass slides. Temperature, light/dark cycles, flow speed and feeding rates can be controlled independently in four different breeding environments to provide room for species-specific optimization as well as for running experiments. This setup is complemented with a quarantine for the acclimatization of wild isolates. Herein we present our success in breeding Botrylloides diegensis, a species of colonial ascidians, for more than 3 years in recirculating artificial seawater over 600 km away from their natural habitat. We show that colonies adapt well to in-lab culturing provided that a suitable marine microbiome is present, and that a specific strain can be isolated, propagated and efficiently used for research over prolonged periods of time. The flexible and modular structure of our system can be scaled and adapted to the needs of specific species, such as Botryllus schlosseri, as well as of particular laboratory spaces. Overall, we show that Botrylloides diegensis can be proficiently bred in-land and suggest that our results can be extended to other species of colonial ascidians to promote research on these fascinating animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta K Wawrzyniak
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin Du Musée 10, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | - Simon Blanchoud
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin Du Musée 10, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland.
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8
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Rodriguez D, Taketa DA, Madhu R, Kassmer S, Loerke D, Valentine MT, Tomaso AWD. Vascular Aging in the Invertebrate Chordate, Botryllus schlosseri. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:626827. [PMID: 33898513 PMCID: PMC8060491 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.626827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular diseases affect over 1 billion people worldwide and are highly prevalent among the elderly, due to a progressive deterioration of the structure of vascular cells. Most of our understanding of these age-related cellular changes comes from in vitro studies on human cell lines. Further studies of the mechanisms underlying vascular aging in vivo are needed to provide insight into the pathobiology of age-associated vascular diseases, but are difficult to carry out on vertebrate model organisms. We are studying the effects of aging on the vasculature of the invertebrate chordate, Botryllus schlosseri. This extracorporeal vascular network of Botryllus is transparent and particularly amenable to imaging and manipulation. Here we use a combination of transcriptomics, immunostaining and live-imaging, as well as in vivo pharmacological treatments and regeneration assays to show that morphological, transcriptional, and functional age-associated changes within vascular cells are key hallmarks of aging in B. schlosseri, and occur independent of genotype. We show that age-associated changes in the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix reshape vascular cells into a flattened and elongated form and there are major changes in the structure of the basement membrane over time. The vessels narrow, reducing blood flow, and become less responsive to stimuli inducing vascular regression. The extracorporeal vasculature is highly regenerative following injury, and while age does not affect the regeneration potential, newly regenerated vascular cells maintain the same aged phenotype, suggesting that aging of the vasculature is a result of heritable epigenetic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delany Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Daryl A. Taketa
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Roopa Madhu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Susannah Kassmer
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Dinah Loerke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Megan T. Valentine
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Anthony W. De Tomaso
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
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9
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Kowarsky M, Anselmi C, Hotta K, Burighel P, Zaniolo G, Caicci F, Rosental B, Neff NF, Ishizuka KJ, Palmeri KJ, Okamoto J, Gordon T, Weissman IL, Quake SR, Manni L, Voskoboynik A. Sexual and asexual development: two distinct programs producing the same tunicate. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108681. [PMID: 33503429 PMCID: PMC7949349 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Colonial tunicates are the only chordate that possess two distinct developmental pathways to produce an adult body: either sexually through embryogenesis or asexually through a stem cell-mediated renewal termed blastogenesis. Using the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri, we combine transcriptomics and microscopy to build an atlas of the molecular and morphological signatures at each developmental stage for both pathways. The general molecular profiles of these processes are largely distinct. However, the relative timing of organogenesis and ordering of tissue-specific gene expression are conserved. By comparing the developmental pathways of B. schlosseri with other chordates, we identify hundreds of putative transcription factors with conserved temporal expression. Our findings demonstrate that convergent morphology need not imply convergent molecular mechanisms but that it showcases the importance that tissue-specific stem cells and transcription factors play in producing the same mature body through different pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Kowarsky
- Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chiara Anselmi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Kohji Hotta
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Paolo Burighel
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanna Zaniolo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Federico Caicci
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Benyamin Rosental
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA; The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Norma F Neff
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Katherine J Ishizuka
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Karla J Palmeri
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | | | - Tal Gordon
- Zoology Department, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Irving L Weissman
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Stephen R Quake
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Departments of Applied Physics and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lucia Manni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy.
| | - Ayelet Voskoboynik
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Ludwig Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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10
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Ferrario C, Sugni M, Somorjai IML, Ballarin L. Beyond Adult Stem Cells: Dedifferentiation as a Unifying Mechanism Underlying Regeneration in Invertebrate Deuterostomes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:587320. [PMID: 33195242 PMCID: PMC7606891 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.587320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of regenerative phenomena seen in adult metazoans, as well as their underlying mechanistic bases, are still far from being comprehensively understood. Reviewing both ultrastructural and molecular data, the present work aims to showcase the increasing relevance of invertebrate deuterostomes, i.e., echinoderms, hemichordates, cephalochordates and tunicates, as invaluable models to study cellular aspects of adult regeneration. Our comparative approach suggests a fundamental contribution of local dedifferentiation -rather than mobilization of resident undifferentiated stem cells- as an important cellular mechanism contributing to regeneration in these groups. Thus, elucidating the cellular origins, recruitment and fate of cells, as well as the molecular signals underpinning tissue regrowth in regeneration-competent deuterostomes, will provide the foundation for future research in tackling the relatively limited regenerative abilities of vertebrates, with clear applications in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Ferrario
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Center for Complexity and Biosystems, Department of Physics, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Center for Complexity and Biosystems, Department of Physics, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- GAIA 2050 Center, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Ildiko M. L. Somorjai
- The Willie Russel Laboratories, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, North Haugh, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
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11
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Rodriguez D, Nourizadeh S, De Tomaso AW. The biology of the extracorporeal vasculature of Botryllus schlosseri. Dev Biol 2019; 448:309-319. [PMID: 30760410 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The extracorporeal vasculature of the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri plays a key role in several biological processes: transporting blood, angiogenesis, regeneration, self-nonself recognition, and parabiosis. The vasculature also interconnects all individuals in a colony and is composed of a single layer of ectodermally-derived cells. These cells form a tube with the basal lamina facing the lumen, and the apical side facing an extracellular matrix that consists of cellulose and other proteins, known as the tunic. Vascular tissue is transparent and can cover several square centimeters, which is much larger than any single individual within the colony. It forms a network that ramifies and expands to the perimeter of each colony and terminates into oval-shaped protrusions known as ampullae. Botryllus individuals replace themselves through a weekly budding cycle, and vasculature is added to ensure the interconnection of each new individual, thus there is continuous angiogenesis occurring naturally. The vascular tissue itself is highly regenerative; surgical removal of the ampullae and peripheral vasculature triggers regrowth within 24-48 h, which includes forming new ampullae. When two individuals, whether in the wild or in the lab, come into close contact and their ampullae touch, they can either undergo parabiosis through anastomosing vessels, or reject vascular fusion. The vasculature is easily manipulated by direct means such as microinjections, microsurgeries, and pharmacological reagents. Its transparent nature allows for in vivo analysis by bright field and fluorescence microscopy. Here we review the techniques and approaches developed to study the different biological processes that involve the extracorporeal vasculature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delany Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
| | - Shane Nourizadeh
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Anthony W De Tomaso
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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12
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Manni L, Anselmi C, Burighel P, Martini M, Gasparini F. Differentiation and Induced Sensorial Alteration of the Coronal Organ in the Asexual Life of a Tunicate. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:317-328. [PMID: 29873734 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Tunicates, the sister group of vertebrates, possess a mechanoreceptor organ, the coronal organ, which is considered the best candidate to address the controversial issue of vertebrate hair cell evolution. The organ, located at the base of the oral siphon, controls the flow of seawater into the organism and can drive the "squirting" reaction, i.e., the rapid body muscle contraction used to eject dangerous particles during filtration. Coronal sensory cells are secondary mechanoreceptors and share morphological, developmental, and molecular traits with vertebrate hair cells. In the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri, we described coronal organ differentiation during asexual development. Moreover, we showed that the ototoxic aminoglycoside gentamicin caused morphological and mechanosensorial impairment in coronal cells. Finally, fenofibrate had a strong protective effect on coronal sensory cells due to gentamicin-induced toxicity, as occurs in vertebrate hair cells. Our results reinforce the hypothesis of homology between vertebrate hair cells and tunicate coronal sensory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Manni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Anselmi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Burighel
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Margherita Martini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Fabio Gasparini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy
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Manni L, Anselmi C, Cima F, Gasparini F, Voskoboynik A, Martini M, Peronato A, Burighel P, Zaniolo G, Ballarin L. Sixty years of experimental studies on the blastogenesis of the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri. Dev Biol 2018; 448:293-308. [PMID: 30217596 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In the second half of the eighteenth century, Schlosser and Ellis described the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri garnering the interest of scientists around the world. In the 1950's scientists began to study B. schlosseri and soon recognized it as an important model organism for the study of developmental biology and comparative immunology. In this review, we summarize the history of B. schlosseri studies and experiments performed to characterize the colony life cycle and bud development. We describe experiments performed to analyze variations in bud productivity, zooid growth and bilateral asymmetry (i.e., the situs viscerum), and discuss zooid and bud removal experiments that were used to study the cross-talk between consecutive blastogenetic generations and vascular budding. We also summarize experiments that demonstrated that the ability of two distinct colonies to fuse or reject is controlled by a single polymorphic gene locus (BHF) with multiple, codominantly expressed alleles. Finally, we describe how the ability to fuse and create chimeras was used to show that within a chimera somatic and germline stem cells compete to populate niches and regenerate tissue or germline organs. Starting from the results of these 60 years of study, we can now use new technological advances to expand the study of B. schlosseri traits and understand functional relationships between its genome and life history phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Manni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Ayelet Voskoboynik
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, United States
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Blanchoud S, Rinkevich B, Wilson MJ. Whole-Body Regeneration in the Colonial Tunicate Botrylloides leachii. Results Probl Cell Differ 2018; 65:337-355. [PMID: 30083927 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92486-1_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The colonial marine invertebrate Botrylloides leachii belongs to the Tunicata subphylum, the closest invertebrate relatives to the vertebrate group and the only known class of chordates that can undergo whole-body regeneration (WBR). This dramatic developmental process allows a minute isolated fragment of B. leachii's vascular system, or a colony excised of all adults, to restore a functional animal in as little as 10 days. In addition to this exceptional regenerative capacity, B. leachii can reproduce both sexually, through a tadpole larval stage, and asexually, through palleal budding. Thus, three alternative developmental strategies lead to the establishment of filter-feeding adults. Consequently, B. leachii is particularly well suited for comparative studies on regeneration and should provide novel insights into regenerative processes in chordates.Here, after a short introduction on regeneration, we overview the biology of B. leachii as well as the current state of knowledge on WBR in this species and in related species of tunicates. Finally, we highlight the possible future directions that research might take in the study of WBR, including thoughts on technological approaches that appear most promising in this context. Overall, we provide a synthesis of the current knowledge on WBR in B. leachii to support research in this chordate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Blanchoud
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Buki Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
| | - Megan J Wilson
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Colonial ascidians as model organisms for the study of germ cells, fertility, whole body regeneration, vascular biology and aging. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2016; 39:101-106. [PMID: 27379900 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Colonial ascidians are marine invertebrate chordates that are the closest invertebrate relative to the vertebrates. Colonies of Botryllus schlosseri undergo a continuous asexual reproduction process that involves the regeneration of entire new bodies, which include all somatic and germline tissues. This adult regenerative process depends on signaling pathways known to regulate the formation of tissues and organs during embryonic development. The formation of gonads within regenerated bodies depends on migration and homing of germ cell precursors to niches within the developing bodies, and Botryllus colonies can cycle between fertile and infertile states. The vasculature that connects all individuals within the colony is highly regenerative, and is a valuable tool for the study of angiogenesis in adult blood vessels. The tremendous regenerative capacity of the vasculature even results in regeneration of entire new bodies solely from fragments of blood vessels upon surgical removal of all bodies. The mechanism underlying this regeneration of whole bodies is not well understood, but appears to depend on proliferation of circulating, blood borne cells. Because of all of these features, colonial ascidians are ideal model organisms for the study of germ cell migration, fertility, vascular biology and regeneration.
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Campagna D, Gasparini F, Franchi N, Vitulo N, Ballin F, Manni L, Valle G, Ballarin L. Transcriptome dynamics in the asexual cycle of the chordate Botryllus schlosseri. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:275. [PMID: 27038623 PMCID: PMC4818882 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2598-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We performed an analysis of the transcriptome during the blastogenesis of the chordate Botryllus schlosseri, focusing in particular on genes involved in cell death by apoptosis. The tunicate B. schlosseri is an ascidian forming colonies characterized by the coexistence of three blastogenetic generations: filter-feeding adults, buds on adults, and budlets on buds. Cyclically, adult tissues undergo apoptosis and are progressively resorbed and replaced by their buds originated by asexual reproduction. This is a feature of colonial tunicates, the only known chordates that can reproduce asexually. Results Thanks to a newly developed web-based platform (http://botryllus.cribi.unipd.it), we compared the transcriptomes of the mid-cycle, the pre-take-over, and the take-over phases of the colonial blastogenetic cycle. The platform is equipped with programs for comparative analysis and allows to select the statistical stringency. We enriched the genome annotation with 11,337 new genes; 581 transcripts were resolved as complete open reading frames, translated in silico into amino acid sequences and then aligned onto the non-redundant sequence database. Significant differentially expressed genes were classified within the gene ontology categories. Among them, we recognized genes involved in apoptosis activation, de-activation, and regulation. Conclusions With the current work, we contributed to the improvement of the first released B. schlosseri genome assembly and offer an overview of the transcriptome changes during the blastogenetic cycle, showing up- and down-regulated genes. These results are important for the comprehension of the events underlying colony growth and regression, cell proliferation, colony homeostasis, and competition among different generations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2598-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Campagna
- CRIBI Biotechnology Centre, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Fabio Gasparini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Nicola Franchi
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Nicola Vitulo
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesca Ballin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Manni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Valle
- CRIBI Biotechnology Centre, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58/B, 35131, Padova, Italy
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