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Regeneration in the enteropneust hemichordate, Ptychodera flava , and its evolutionary implications
Author(s) -
Arimoto Asuka,
Tagawa Kuni
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/dgd.12557
Subject(s) - biology , regeneration (biology) , transdifferentiation , organogenesis , induced pluripotent stem cell , multipotent stem cell , stem cell , evolutionary biology , microbiology and biotechnology , progenitor cell , gene , embryonic stem cell , genetics
Hemichordates are marine invertebrates that are closely related to chordates, but while their body plans are comparable to those of chordates, they possess a remarkable capacity for regeneration, even as adults. A small fragment is sufficient to form a complete individual. Unlike echinoderms, their larvae transform directly into adults; therefore, hemichordate systems offer clear morphological and molecular parallels between regeneration and development. Morphological events in regeneration are generally similar to organogenesis in juveniles. Nonetheless, comparative analysis of gene expression in these two morphological phenomena suggests that hemichordate regeneration is regulated by regeneration‐specific mechanisms, as well as by developmental mechanisms. Dependency upon resident pluripotent/multipotent stem cells is a significant difference in metazoan regeneration, and such stem cells are essential for regeneration in many lineages. Based on the present gene expression study, regeneration in acorn worms is more closely related to that in vertebrates, because it employs endogenous stem cell‐independent transdifferentiation.