Insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of Polycarpa mytiligera’s extraordinary regenerative abilities

Regeneration is widespread in the animal kingdom, and a variety of model systems are employed to better understand the principles and genetic programs underlying this process. Ascidians are remarkable for their regenerative abilities; and while the majority of regenerative studies focused on well-known models such as Ciona intestinalis, our recent work suggested a new model system: the solitary ascidian Polycarpa mytiligera (order Stolidobranchia).
In vivo experimental observations revealed this species extraordinary ability to regenerate all major body parts following their removal, including the digestive system, nervous system, and heart.
Our current study further describes P. mytiligera’s impressive regenerative potential and provides a cellular description of its regeneration processes over time. We focus on the central nervous system (CNS) regeneration and characterize the cellular process and time-course of its regeneration using immuno- and histochemical methods. One week following neural complex removal, we observed wound healing process and 21 days following its amputation the neural complex was completely regenerated.
P. mytiligera transcriptomic profiling, performed at five different time points of CNS regeneration, revealed many genes with dynamic expression over time. This includes genes involved in the regulation of cell cycle and in Wnt and Hedgehog signaling pathways.
Our new findings provide an in-depth characterization of P. mytiligera’s regeneration, presenting insights into the cellular and molecular aspects of CNS regeneration, further emphasizing this ascidian’s potential to serve as a new model system for studying regeneration and its evolution within the tunicates.