A research team from the University of Tokyo has discovered the mechanism behind the extraordinary regenerative ability of jellyfish. Jellyfish, like other species such as corals and sea anemones, are known for their regenerative abilities. However, the process of creating a blastema – a crucial cluster of undifferentiated cells responsible for tissue regeneration – has long remained a mystery to scientists.
The team’s study, published in the journal PLOS Biology, reveals that proliferative cells with stem cell properties play a key role in blastema formation. These actively growing and dividing cells, but not yet specialized into specific cell types, are located at the site of damage and contribute to the formation of the blastema. They are distinct from the stem cells residing in the jellyfish’s bell.
The stem cells residing in the bell are responsible for maintaining and repairing cells during the jellyfish’s normal life. However, when damage occurs, proliferative cells with specific repair properties appear and contribute to the formation of the bell’s epithelium – the thin outer layer. Together, these two types of cells enable the rapid regeneration of a functional bell in just a few days.
This discovery provides new insights into blastema formation and regenerative abilities in different animal groups. The study’s findings suggest that blastema formation and reparative proliferative cells are common features among different species capable of complex organ and appendage regeneration, such as salamanders.
The origin of reparative proliferative cells and their connections to other stem cell-like cells are not yet fully understood. Scientists hope to develop genetic tools that will allow them to track specific cell lineages and manipulate these cells in jellyfish. By unraveling the mechanisms of blastema formation in regenerative animals, including jellyfish, scientists may identify cellular and molecular components that could enhance human regenerative abilities in the future.
Source: University of Tokyo
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