Eye Absence Does Not Regulate Planarian Stem Cells during Eye Regeneration.

ABSTRACT: Dividing cells called neoblasts contain pluripotent stem cells and drive planarian flatworm regeneration from diverse injuries. A long-standing question is whether neoblasts directly sense and respond to the identity of missing tissues during regeneration. We used the eye to investigate this question. Surprisingly, eye removal was neither sufficient nor necessary for neoblasts to increase eye progenitor production. Neoblasts normally increase eye progenitor production following decapitation, facilitating regeneration. Eye removal alone, however, did not induce this response. Eye regeneration following eye-specific resection resulted from homeostatic rates of eye progenitor production and less cell death in the regenerating eye. Conversely, large head injuries that left eyes intact increase

SUBMITTER: LoCascio SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5575803 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature