Copyright (c) 2003 Cell Press.
Developmental Cell, Vol 5, 429-439, September 2003
Molecular Pathways Needed for Regeneration of Spinal Cord and Muscle
in a Vertebrate
Caroline W. Beck, Bea Christen, and Jonathan M.W. Slack
Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biology and
Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
Corresponding author
Jonathan M.W. Slack
44 1225 386407 (phone)
44 1225 386779 (fax)
j.m.w.slack@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
tail of the frog tadpole, comprising spinal cord, muscle, and
notochord, regenerates following partial amputation. We show that, in
Xenopus, this occurs throughout development, except for a "refractory
period" between stages 45 and 47, when tails heal over without
regeneration. Regeneration can be enabled during this refractory
period by activation of either the BMP or Notch signaling pathways.
Conversely, regeneration can be prevented during the later,
regenerative, stages by inhibition of either pathway. BMP signaling
will cause regeneration of all tissues, whereas Notch signaling
activates regeneration of spinal cord and notochord, but not muscle.
An activated form of Msx1 can promote regeneration in the same way as
BMP signaling. Epistasis experiments suggest that BMP signaling is
upstream of Notch signaling but exerts an independent effect on muscle
regeneration. The results demonstrate that regenerative capability can
be enabled by genetic modifications that reactivate specific
components of the developmental program.
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