A tale of tadpole tail regeneration

Some organisms have a remarkable ability to heal wounds without scars and to regenerate complex tissues following injury. By gaining a more complete understanding of the biological mechanisms that promote scar-free healing and tissue regeneration, it is hoped that novel treatments that can enhance the healing and regenerative capacity of human patients can be found. In the present article, we briefly examine the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regeneration of the Xenopus tadpole tail.

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Morphogenetic sequences during tadpole tail regeneration

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z76-149 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 54 (8) ◽

pp. 1314-1325 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kristine H. Atkinson ◽

Burr G. Atkinson ◽

Peter A. Merrifield

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Cells ◽

Rana Catesbeiana ◽

Neuromuscular Junctions ◽

Muscle Fibers ◽

Proximal Region ◽

Chronological Order ◽

Tail Regeneration ◽

Nerve Axon ◽

Early Stages ◽

Tadpole Tail

The appearance of differentiated tissue types after amputation of Rana catesbeiana tadpole tail follows a precise chronological order. Migrating epithelial cells invest the wound within 3 days. Blastemal cells accumulate under the distal epithelium in the early stages when tissue debris is cleared away, then by day 11 notochordal outgrowth and nerve axon replacement predominate in the highly vascularized blastema.Fusion of the myoblasts to form the first detectable myotubes occurs in the proximal region of the regenerate by day 14. Myogenesis proceeds distally with myotubes present under the epithelium of the distal tip of the regenerate at day 19. After day 22 further increase in tail musculature is probably due to the growth of fibers already formed. At day 22 the new muscle fibers begin to anastomose with the healed ends of the old fibers. From 35 to 48 days the major remaining difference from control tissues is the size and extent of the regenerated muscle fibers; capillaries, axons, epidermis and dermis, and neuromuscular junctions are morphologically indistinguishable from unregenerated tissues.

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Requirement for Wnt and FGF signaling in Xenopus tadpole tail regeneration

Developmental Biology ◽

10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.01.032 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 316 (2) ◽

pp. 323-335 ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

Gufa Lin ◽

Jonathan M.W. Slack

Keyword(s):

Fgf Signaling ◽

Tail Regeneration ◽

Xenopus Tadpole ◽

Tadpole Tail

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Bacteria are required for regeneration of the Xenopus tadpole tail

10.1101/319939 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thomas F. Bishop ◽

Caroline W. Beck

Keyword(s):

Reactive Oxygen Species ◽

Positive Feedback ◽

Feedback Loop ◽

Oxygen Species ◽

Transcription Factor Activity ◽

Factor Activity ◽

Regenerative Processes ◽

Tail Regeneration ◽

Positive Feedback Loop ◽

Tadpole Tail

AbstractThe impressive regenerative capabilities of amphibians have been studied for over a century. Although we have learnt a great deal about regenerative processes, the factors responsible for the initiation of regeneration have remained elusive. A previous study implicated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the ROS-generator, NADPH oxidase (Nox), in Xenopus tadpole tail regeneration. In this study we suggest that Nox is expressed as a consequence of NF-κB transcription factor activity and that ROS produced by Nox, in turn, help to maintain the activity of NF-κB, forming a positive-feedback loop. Microorganisms were found to be required for regeneration through binding to toll-like receptors (TLR). NF-κB is a downstream component of TLR pathways and its activation through TLR stimulation could jump-start the positive-feedback loop. These findings provide potential targets for the activation of regeneration in non-regenerative animals.

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