Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers

Abstract Background Regeneration is the replacement of lost or damaged tissue with a functional copy. In axolotls and zebrafish, regeneration involves stem cells produced by de-differentiation. These cells form a growth zone which expresses developmental patterning genes at its apex. This system res...

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Main Authors: Luthfi Nurhidayat, Vladimir Benes, Sira Blom, Inês Gomes, Nisrina Firdausi, Merijn A. G. de Bakker, Herman P. Spaink, Michael K. Richardson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-024-02111-9
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author Luthfi Nurhidayat
Vladimir Benes
Sira Blom
Inês Gomes
Nisrina Firdausi
Merijn A. G. de Bakker
Herman P. Spaink
Michael K. Richardson
author_facet Luthfi Nurhidayat
Vladimir Benes
Sira Blom
Inês Gomes
Nisrina Firdausi
Merijn A. G. de Bakker
Herman P. Spaink
Michael K. Richardson
author_sort Luthfi Nurhidayat
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Regeneration is the replacement of lost or damaged tissue with a functional copy. In axolotls and zebrafish, regeneration involves stem cells produced by de-differentiation. These cells form a growth zone which expresses developmental patterning genes at its apex. This system resembles an embryonic developmental field where cells undergo pattern formation. Some lizards, including geckos, can regenerate their tails, but it is unclear whether they show a “development-like” regeneration pathway. Results Using the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) model species, we examined seven stages of tail regeneration, and three stages of embryonic tail bud development, using transcriptomics, single-cell sequencing, and in situ hybridization. We find no apical growth zone in the regenerating tail. The transcriptomes of the regenerating vs. embryonic tails are quite different with respect to developmental patterning genes. Posterior HOXC genes were activated in a temporally collinear sequence in the regenerating tail. The major precursor populations were stromal cells (regenerating tail) vs. pluripotent stem cells (embryonic tail). Segmented skeletal muscles were regenerated with no expression of classical segmentation genes, but with the early activation of satellite cell markers. Conclusions Our study suggests that tail regeneration in the tokay gecko—unlike tail development—might rely on the activation of resident stem cells, guided by pre-existing positional information.
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spelling doaj-art-b9917ed596a5443ebd9c91ee0caf78572025-08-20T02:35:36ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072025-01-0123112110.1186/s12915-024-02111-9Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markersLuthfi Nurhidayat0Vladimir Benes1Sira Blom2Inês Gomes3Nisrina Firdausi4Merijn A. G. de Bakker5Herman P. Spaink6Michael K. Richardson7Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryGenomics Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory HeidelbergInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryInstitute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylvius LaboratoryAbstract Background Regeneration is the replacement of lost or damaged tissue with a functional copy. In axolotls and zebrafish, regeneration involves stem cells produced by de-differentiation. These cells form a growth zone which expresses developmental patterning genes at its apex. This system resembles an embryonic developmental field where cells undergo pattern formation. Some lizards, including geckos, can regenerate their tails, but it is unclear whether they show a “development-like” regeneration pathway. Results Using the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) model species, we examined seven stages of tail regeneration, and three stages of embryonic tail bud development, using transcriptomics, single-cell sequencing, and in situ hybridization. We find no apical growth zone in the regenerating tail. The transcriptomes of the regenerating vs. embryonic tails are quite different with respect to developmental patterning genes. Posterior HOXC genes were activated in a temporally collinear sequence in the regenerating tail. The major precursor populations were stromal cells (regenerating tail) vs. pluripotent stem cells (embryonic tail). Segmented skeletal muscles were regenerated with no expression of classical segmentation genes, but with the early activation of satellite cell markers. Conclusions Our study suggests that tail regeneration in the tokay gecko—unlike tail development—might rely on the activation of resident stem cells, guided by pre-existing positional information.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-024-02111-9Tokay geckoGekko geckoTail regenerationBlastemaHox genesDevelopmental patterning genes
spellingShingle Luthfi Nurhidayat
Vladimir Benes
Sira Blom
Inês Gomes
Nisrina Firdausi
Merijn A. G. de Bakker
Herman P. Spaink
Michael K. Richardson
Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
BMC Biology
Tokay gecko
Gekko gecko
Tail regeneration
Blastema
Hox genes
Developmental patterning genes
title Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
title_full Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
title_fullStr Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
title_full_unstemmed Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
title_short Tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of HOXC genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
title_sort tokay gecko tail regeneration involves temporally collinear expression of hoxc genes and early expression of satellite cell markers
topic Tokay gecko
Gekko gecko
Tail regeneration
Blastema
Hox genes
Developmental patterning genes
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-024-02111-9
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