title: Potential of Macrostomum lignano to recover from gamma-ray irradiation.
abstract: Stem cells are the only proliferating cells in flatworms and can be eliminated by irradiation with no damage to differentiated cells. We investigated the effect of fractionated irradiation schemes on Macrostomum lignano, namely, on survival, gene expression, morphology and regeneration. Proliferating cells were almost undetectable during the first week post-treatment. Cell proliferation and gene expression were restored within 1 month in a dose-dependent manner following exposure to up to 150 Gy irradiation. During recovery, stem cells did not cross the midline but were restricted within lateral compartments. An accumulated dose of 210 Gy resulted in a lethal phenotype. Our findings demonstrate that M. lignano represents a suitable model system for elucidating the effect of irradiation on the stem cell system in flatworms and for improving our understanding of the recovery potential of severely damaged stem-cell systems.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Mulder
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kuales
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Egger
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seppi
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eichberger
authors.forename: Gaetan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borgonie
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ladurner
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002451:Cell Compartmentation / Q000528:radiation effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000528:radiation effects; D012038:Regeneration / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014419:Turbellaria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine