The regenerative capacity of the zebrafish caudal fin is not affected by repeated amputations

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ana Sofia Azevedo - , Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (Author)
  • Bartholomäus Grotek - (Author)
  • António Jacinto - (Author)
  • Gilbert Weidinger - , TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Leonor Saúde - (Author)

Abstract

Background: The zebrafish has the capacity to regenerate many tissues and organs. The caudal fin is one of the most convenient tissues to approach experimentally due to its accessibility, simple structure and fast regeneration. In this work we investigate how the regenerative capacity is affected by recurrent fin amputations and by experimental manipulations that block regeneration. Methodology/Principal Findings: We show that consecutive repeated amputations of zebrafish caudal fin do not reduce its regeneration capacity and do not compromise any of the successive regeneration steps: wound healing, blastema formation and regenerative outgrowth. Interfering with Wnt/ß-catenin signalling using heat-shock-mediated overexpression of Dickkopf1 completely blocks fin regeneration. Notably, if these fins were re-amputated at the non-inhibitory temperature, the regenerated caudal fin reached the original length, even after several rounds of consecutive Wnt/ß-catenin signalling inhibition and re-amputation. Conclusions/Significance: We show that the caudal fin has an almost unlimited capacity to regenerate. Even after inhibition of regeneration caused by the loss of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling, a new amputation resets the regeneration capacity within the caudal fin, suggesting that blastema formation does not depend on a pool of stem/progenitor cells that require Wnt/ß-catenin signalling for their survival.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere22820
JournalPloS one
Volume6
Issue number7
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 21829525

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas