Project description:Surgical removal of the lens from larval Xenopus laevis results in a rapid transdifferention of central corneal cells to form a new lens. The trigger for this process is understood to be an induction event arising from the unprecedented contact between the cornea and the vitreous humour that occurs following lens removal. The identity of this trigger is unknown. Here, we have used a functional transgenic approach to show that BMP signalling is required for lens regeneration and a microarray approach to identify genes that are upregulated specifically during this process. Analysis of the array data strongly implicates Wnt signalling and Pitx transcription factors in this process. Pluripotency genes, in contrast, are not upregulated, supporting the idea that corneal cells transdifferentiate without returning to a stem cell state. Furthermore, several genes from the array were expressed in the forming lens during embryogenesis. One of these, nipsnap1, is a known direct target of BMP signalling. We suggest that, as with tail regeneration, activation of multiple developmental signalling pathways could drive lens regeneration from the cornea. Three biological replicates of each of three sample types were analysed. For each replicate, lens tissue (L) was derived from 5 lenses dissected from stage 50 tadpoles. Similarly, 7-8 corneas dissected from stage 50 tadpoles from which the lens had been removed 3 days previously were pooled for each biologocal replicate (R). These samples should contain tissue that is changing from cornea to lens, to regenerate the missing lens. Finally, 7-8 corneas from eyes of tadpoles at the same stage that had the cornea lifetd but the lens left in place 3 days earlier were pooled for each biological replicate (sham operated corneas, designated S).
Project description:Surgical removal of the lens from larval Xenopus laevis results in a rapid transdifferention of central corneal cells to form a new lens. The trigger for this process is understood to be an induction event arising from the unprecedented contact between the cornea and the vitreous humour that occurs following lens removal. The identity of this trigger is unknown. Here, we have used a functional transgenic approach to show that BMP signalling is required for lens regeneration and a microarray approach to identify genes that are upregulated specifically during this process. Analysis of the array data strongly implicates Wnt signalling and Pitx transcription factors in this process. Pluripotency genes, in contrast, are not upregulated, supporting the idea that corneal cells transdifferentiate without returning to a stem cell state. Furthermore, several genes from the array were expressed in the forming lens during embryogenesis. One of these, nipsnap1, is a known direct target of BMP signalling. We suggest that, as with tail regeneration, activation of multiple developmental signalling pathways could drive lens regeneration from the cornea.
Project description:Xenopus laevis tadpoles differ in their regenerative potential according to their developmental stage. Here, we focus on tail regeneration following amputation. By comparing the regenerative response during the naturally occurring regeneration-competent and -incompetent stages, scRNAseq can reveal cell type changes that are required for successful regeneration.
Project description:Xenopus laevis tadpoles display a decreasing capacity to regenerate their limbs following injury according to developmental stage. By comparing the regenerative response during the naturally occurring regeneration-competent, -restricted and -incompetent stages, scRNAseq can reveal cell type changes that are required for successful regeneration.
Project description:Premetamorphic Xenopus laevis tadpole tail respond to thyroid hormone by resorption. The goal of this experiment is to identify the genes involved in the TH-induced resorption tadpole tail and compare it to TH-induced proliferation and differentiation program in tadpole limb and brain. Xenopus tadpoles (NF54) were treated with 100 nM T3 in 0.1 x MMR for another 24h and 48h or without T3 for 48h (control group). NF 61 tadpoles were in 0.1 X MMR till they reached NF stage 62. The tails were dissected after the experiment. Keywords: development or differentiation design,organism part comparison design,reference design,replicate design,time series design
Project description:Premetamorphic Xenopus laevis tadpoles brain ventricle cells respond to thyroid hormone by proliferation and subsequent differentiation. The goal of this experiment is to identify the genes involved in the TH-induced proliferation pathway in tadpole brain and compare it to TH-induced proliferation and differentiation program in tadpole limb. Xenopus tadpoles (NF54) were treated with 1 mM methimazole in 0.1 X MMR solution for 1 week to block the endogenous TH production and reduce the TH present in the system of the tadpole. They were then treated with 100 nM T3 in 1 mM methimazole and 0.1 x MMR for another 24h and 48h or without T3 for 48h (control group). Brains from the tadpoles were dissected at the end of the experiment. Keywords: development or differentiation design,organism part comparison design,reference design,replicate design,time series design
Project description:Premetamorphic Xenopus laevis tadpole tail respond to thyroid hormone by resorption. The goal of this experiment is to identify the genes involved in the TH-induced resorption tadpole tail and compare it to TH-induced proliferation and differentiation program in tadpole limb and brain. Xenopus tadpoles (NF54) were treated with 100 nM T3(triioodthyronine) in 0.1 x MMR for another 24h and 48h or without T3 for 48h (control group). NF 61 tadpoles were in 0.1 X MMR till they reached NF stage 62. The tails were dissected after the experiment.
Project description:Epimorphic regeneration is the process by which complete regeneration of a complex structure such as a limb occurs through production of a proliferating blastema. This type of regeneration is rare among vertebrates but does occur in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis, traditionally a model organism for the study of early development. Xenopus tadpoles can regenerate tails, limb buds and the lens of the eye, although the ability of the latter two organs to regenerate diminishes with advancing developmental stage. Using a heat shock inducible transgene that remains silent unless activated, we have established a stable line of transgenic Xenopus in which the BMP inhibitor Noggin can be over-expressed at any time during development. We have previously shown that activation of this transgene blocks regeneration of the tail and limb of Xenopus tadpoles. In the current study, we have taken advantage of this transgenic line to directly compare gene expression in same stage regenerating vs. non-regenerating hind limb buds. Using Affymetrix gene chip analysis, we have identified genes whose expression levels are linked to regenerative success. These include the BMP inhibitor Gremlin and the stress protein Hsp60 (no blastema in zebrafish). Analysis of overrepresented Gene Ontology functional groupings suggests that successful regeneration in the Xenopus hind limb depends on induction of stress response pathways. Furthermore, as expected, genes involved in embryonic development and growth are also significantly over-represented in regenerating early hind limb buds. Keywords: Differential expression, regeneration