title: Amphioxus makes the cut-Again.
abstract: The cephalochordate amphioxus is now established as an important model system for understanding the evolution of vertebrate novelties from an invertebrate chordate ancestor. It is also emerging as a serious candidate for studies of organ regeneration. We extend here our previous observations on the European amphioxus´ extensive adult regenerative capacity. The expression of Wnt5 and the presence of β-catenin protein in the early bud-stage blastema support a role for Wnt signaling during tail regeneration in amphioxus. We also present data showing that Branchiostoma lanceolatum continues to regenerate well after repeated amputation of the post-anal tail. These results are discussed in relation to vertebrate regeneration and other stem cell systems, and in the context of regeneration decline with aging.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organismal Studies; University of Heidelberg; Heidelberg, Germany ; CNRS; UMR7232; Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06; Observatoire Oceanologique; Banyuls-sur-Mer; Paris, France ; Department de Genètica; Facultat de Biologia; Universitat de Barcelona; Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ildikó M L
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Somorjai
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Escrivà
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garcia-Fernàndez
keywords: Branchiostoma lanceolatum; Wnt; amphioxus; repeated regeneration