Regional Signaling Controls Stem Cell-Mediated Regeneration in an Invertebrate Chordate.

ABSTRACT: Many tissues harbor quiescent stem cells that activate after injury, yet how local signals regulate this transition is not well understood. The solitary ascidian Ciona robusta provides a unique model, as upper body fragments regenerate while lower fragments fail to do so. By comparing these regenerative and non-regenerative contexts, we reveal striking differences in transcriptional dynamics and signaling environments. Combining flow cytometry, scRNA-seq, transplantation, and fate mapping, we identified a candidate stem cell population with robust proliferative and differentiation potential following transplantation. However, regenerative capacity does not simply reflect stem cell abundance, but instead depends on region-specific signaling cues. Local expression of metabolic, immune

SUBMITTER: Gordon T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12485933 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature