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Tomasso A, Disela V, Longaker MT, Bartscherer K. Marvels of spiny mouse regeneration: cellular players and their interactions in restoring tissue architecture in mammals. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 87:102228. [PMID: 39047585 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2024.102228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the cellular and molecular determinants of mammalian tissue regeneration and repair is crucial for developing effective therapies that restore tissue architecture and function. In this review, we focus on the cell types involved in scarless wound response and regeneration of spiny mice (Acomys). Comparative -omics approaches with scar-prone mammals have revealed species-specific peculiarities in cellular behavior during the divergent healing trajectories. We discuss the developing views on which cell types engage in restoring the architecture of spiny mouse tissues through a co-ordinated spatiotemporal response to injury. While yet at the beginning of understanding how cells interact in these fascinating animals to regenerate tissues, spiny mice hold great promise for scar prevention and anti-fibrotic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Tomasso
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University - School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück 49076, Germany; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), Utrecht 3584CT, the Netherlands. https://twitter.com/@anto_tomasso
| | - Vanessa Disela
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück 49076, Germany; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), Utrecht 3584CT, the Netherlands. https://twitter.com/@VDisela
| | - Michael T Longaker
- Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University - School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. https://twitter.com/@LongakerLab
| | - Kerstin Bartscherer
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück 49076, Germany.
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2
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Mitchell DG, Edgar A, Mateu JR, Ryan JF, Martindale MQ. The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi deploys a rapid injury response dating back to the last common animal ancestor. Commun Biol 2024; 7:203. [PMID: 38374160 PMCID: PMC10876535 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05901-7] [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] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Regenerative potential is widespread but unevenly distributed across animals. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying regenerative processes is limited to a handful of model organisms, restricting robust comparative analyses. Here, we conduct a time course of RNA-seq during whole body regeneration in Mnemiopsis leidyi (Ctenophora) to uncover gene expression changes that correspond with key events during the regenerative timeline of this species. We identified several genes highly enriched in this dataset beginning as early as 10 minutes after surgical bisection including transcription factors in the early timepoints, peptidases in the middle timepoints, and cytoskeletal genes in the later timepoints. We validated the expression of early response transcription factors by whole mount in situ hybridization, showing that these genes exhibited high expression in tissues surrounding the wound site. These genes exhibit a pattern of transient upregulation as seen in a variety of other organisms, suggesting that they may be initiators of an ancient gene regulatory network linking wound healing to the initiation of a regenerative response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy G Mitchell
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, Saint Augustine, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Allison Edgar
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, Saint Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Júlia Ramon Mateu
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, Saint Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Joseph F Ryan
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, Saint Augustine, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, Saint Augustine, FL, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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3
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Ram A, Murphy D, DeCuzzi N, Patankar M, Hu J, Pargett M, Albeck JG. A guide to ERK dynamics, part 2: downstream decoding. Biochem J 2023; 480:1909-1928. [PMID: 38038975 PMCID: PMC10754290 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230277] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Signaling by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway controls many cellular processes, including cell division, death, and differentiation. In this second installment of a two-part review, we address the question of how the ERK pathway exerts distinct and context-specific effects on multiple processes. We discuss how the dynamics of ERK activity induce selective changes in gene expression programs, with insights from both experiments and computational models. With a focus on single-cell biosensor-based studies, we summarize four major functional modes for ERK signaling in tissues: adjusting the size of cell populations, gradient-based patterning, wave propagation of morphological changes, and diversification of cellular gene expression states. These modes of operation are disrupted in cancer and other related diseases and represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. By understanding the dynamic mechanisms involved in ERK signaling, there is potential for pharmacological strategies that not only simply inhibit ERK, but also restore functional activity patterns and improve disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhineet Ram
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Devan Murphy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Nicholaus DeCuzzi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Madhura Patankar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Jason Hu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - Michael Pargett
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
| | - John G. Albeck
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, U.S.A
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Seifert AW, Duncan EM, Zayas RM. Enduring questions in regenerative biology and the search for answers. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1139. [PMID: 37945686 PMCID: PMC10636051 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05505-7] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential for basic research to uncover the inner workings of regenerative processes and produce meaningful medical therapies has inspired scientists, clinicians, and patients for hundreds of years. Decades of studies using a handful of highly regenerative model organisms have significantly advanced our knowledge of key cell types and molecular pathways involved in regeneration. However, many questions remain about how regenerative processes unfold in regeneration-competent species, how they are curtailed in non-regenerative organisms, and how they might be induced (or restored) in humans. Recent technological advances in genomics, molecular biology, computer science, bioengineering, and stem cell research hold promise to collectively provide new experimental evidence for how different organisms accomplish the process of regeneration. In theory, this new evidence should inform the design of new clinical approaches for regenerative medicine. A deeper understanding of how tissues and organs regenerate will also undoubtedly impact many adjacent scientific fields. To best apply and adapt these new technologies in ways that break long-standing barriers and answer critical questions about regeneration, we must combine the deep knowledge of developmental and evolutionary biologists with the hard-earned expertise of scientists in mechanistic and technical fields. To this end, this perspective is based on conversations from a workshop we organized at the Banbury Center, during which a diverse cross-section of the regeneration research community and experts in various technologies discussed enduring questions in regenerative biology. Here, we share the questions this group identified as significant and unanswered, i.e., known unknowns. We also describe the obstacles limiting our progress in answering these questions and how expanding the number and diversity of organisms used in regeneration research is essential for deepening our understanding of regenerative capacity. Finally, we propose that investigating these problems collaboratively across a diverse network of researchers has the potential to advance our field and produce unexpected insights into important questions in related areas of biology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley W Seifert
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
| | - Elizabeth M Duncan
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
| | - Ricardo M Zayas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
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Chen JJ, Lei K. The known, unknown, and unknown unknowns of cell-cell communication in planarian regeneration. Zool Res 2023; 44:981-992. [PMID: 37721107 PMCID: PMC10559094 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.044] [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] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Planarians represent the most primitive bilateral triploblastic animals. Most planarian species exhibit mechanisms for whole-body regeneration, exemplified by the regeneration of their cephalic ganglion after complete excision. Given their robust whole-body regeneration capacity, planarians have been model organisms in regenerative research for more than 240 years. Advancements in research tools and techniques have progressively elucidated the mechanisms underlying planarian regeneration. Accurate cell-cell communication is recognized as a fundamental requirement for regeneration. In recent decades, mechanisms associated with such communication have been revealed at the cellular level. Notably, stem cells (neoblasts) have been identified as the source of all new cells during planarian homeostasis and regeneration. The interplay between neoblasts and somatic cells affects the identities and proportions of various tissues during homeostasis and regeneration. Here, this review outlines key discoveries regarding communication between stem cell compartments and other cell types in planarians, as well as the impact of communication on planarian regeneration. Additionally, this review discusses the challenges and potential directions of future planarian research, emphasizing the sustained impact of this field on our understanding of animal regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jia Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Kai Lei
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Growth Regulation and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China. E-mail:
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Avila-Martinez N, Gansevoort M, Verbakel J, Jayaprakash H, Araujo IM, Vitorino M, Tiscornia G, van Kuppevelt TH, Daamen WF. Matrisomal components involved in regenerative wound healing in axolotl and Acomys: implications for biomaterial development. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:6060-6081. [PMID: 37525590 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm00835e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Achieving regeneration in humans has been a long-standing goal of many researchers. Whereas amphibians like the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) are capable of regenerating whole organs and even limbs, most mammals heal their wounds via fibrotic scarring. Recently, the African spiny mouse (Acomys sp.) has been shown to be injury resistant and capable of regenerating several tissue types. A major focal point of research with Acomys has been the identification of drivers of regeneration. In this search, the matrisome components related to the extracellular matrix (ECM) are often overlooked. In this review, we compare Acomys and axolotl skin wound healing and blastema-mediated regeneration by examining their wound healing responses and comparing the expression pattern of matrisome genes, including glycosaminoglycan (GAG) related genes. The goal of this review is to identify matrisome genes that are upregulated during regeneration and could be potential candidates for inclusion in pro-regenerative biomaterials. Research papers describing transcriptomic or proteomic coverage of either skin regeneration or blastema formation in Acomys and axolotl were selected. Matrisome and GAG related genes were extracted from each dataset and the resulting lists of genes were compared. In our analysis, we found several genes that were consistently upregulated, suggesting possible involvement in regenerative processes. Most of the components have been implicated in regulation of cell behavior, extracellular matrix remodeling and wound healing. Incorporation of such pro-regenerative factors into biomaterials may help to shift pro-fibrotic processes to regenerative responses in treated wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Avila-Martinez
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Research Institute, Radboud university medical center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Merel Gansevoort
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Research Institute, Radboud university medical center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Juul Verbakel
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Research Institute, Radboud university medical center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Haarshaadri Jayaprakash
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ines Maria Araujo
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Marta Vitorino
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Gustavo Tiscornia
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
- Eugin Barcelona, Balmes, 236, 08006 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toin H van Kuppevelt
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Research Institute, Radboud university medical center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Willeke F Daamen
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Research Institute, Radboud university medical center, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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van Beijnum H, Koopmans T, Tomasso A, Disela V, Te Lindert S, Bakkers J, Alemany A, Berezikov E, Bartscherer K. Spatial transcriptomics reveals asymmetric cellular responses to injury in the regenerating spiny mouse ( Acomys) ear. Genome Res 2023; 33:1424-1437. [PMID: 37726147 PMCID: PMC10547259 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277538.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to other mammals, the spiny mouse (Acomys) regenerates skin and ear tissue, which includes hair follicles, glands, and cartilage, in a scar-free manner. Ear punch regeneration is asymmetric with only the proximal wound side participating in regeneration. Here, we show that cues originating from the proximal side are required for normal regeneration and use spatially resolved transcriptomics (tomo-seq) to understand the molecular and cellular events underlying this process. Analyzing gene expression across the ear and comparing expression modules between proximal and distal wound sides, we identify asymmetric gene expression patterns and pinpoint regenerative processes in space and time. Moreover, using a comparative approach with nonregenerative rodents (Mus, Meriones), we strengthen a hypothesis in which particularities in the injury-induced immune response may be one of the crucial determinants for why spiny mice regenerate whereas their relatives do not. Our data are available in SpinyMine, an easy-to-use and expandable web-based tool for exploring Acomys regeneration-associated gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriëtte van Beijnum
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Tim Koopmans
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Antonio Tomasso
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Vanessa Disela
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Severin Te Lindert
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Wageningen University, Wageningen, 6708WE, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Bakkers
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Alemany
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden node, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eugene Berezikov
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kerstin Bartscherer
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
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