Neoblast specialization in regeneration of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea.

ABSTRACT: Planarians can regenerate any missing body part in a process requiring dividing cells called neoblasts. Historically, neoblasts have largely been considered a homogeneous stem cell population. Most studies, however, analyzed neoblasts at the population rather than the single-cell level, leaving the degree of heterogeneity in this population unresolved. We combined RNA sequencing of neoblasts from wounded planarians with expression screening and identified 33 transcription factors transcribed in specific differentiated cells and in small fractions of neoblasts during regeneration. Many neoblast subsets expressing distinct tissue-associated transcription factors were present, suggesting candidate specification into many lineages. Consistent with this possibility, klf, pax3/7, and FoxA were r

SUBMITTER: Scimone ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4176530 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature