Vertebrate-like regeneration in the invertebrate chordate amphioxus.
An important question in biology is why some animals are able to regenerate, whereas others are not. The basal chordate amphioxus is uniquely positioned to address the evolution of regeneration. We report here the high regeneration potential of the European amphioxus Branchiostoma lanceolatum. Adults regenerate both anterior and posterior structures, including neural tube, notochord, fin, and muscle. Development of a classifier based on tail regeneration profiles predicts the assignment of young and old adults to their own class with >94% accuracy. The process involves loss of differentiated characteristics, formation of an msx-expressing blastema, and neurogenesis. Moreover, regeneration is linked to the activation of satellite-like Pax3/7 progenitor cells, the extent of which declines with size and age. Our results provide a framework for understanding the evolution and diversity of regeneration mechanisms in vertebrates.
Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris VI, F-66650 Banyus-sur-Mer, France. somorjai@cantab.net
Ildikó M L
IM
Somorjai
Rajmund L
RL
Somorjai
Jordi
J
Garcia-Fernàndez
Hector
H
Escrivà
D000818:Animals; D002816:Chordata, Nonvertebrate / Q000502:physiology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005602:France; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013623:Tail / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D017931:DNA Primers; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors